HAIR HOLDER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a hair holder to be applied on the person's head and suitable to allow the execution of cosmetic treatments on single locks of hair.

[2] The invention also relates to a tool set for hairdressers comprising a set for hair holders.

Background Art

[3] In the field of hairdressing is widespread practice to accomplish cosmetic

treatments by applying on the hair, locks by locks, cosmetic fluids (liquid, nebulized or paste).

[4] For example, procedures for selective coloring or discoloration, realization of meches or other similar cosmetic treatments require the subdivision of the hair into locks so that the treating substance can be applied from time to time on the single lock without getting in touch with the remaining part of hair.

[5] Conventionally, for this purpose the person's hair are divided into a number of sectors by using pliers or tongs, and then a single lock is isolated by interposing between it and the remaining part of the hair an aluminum sheet or other similar impermeable and inert material. After the treatment on the isolated lock has been performed, it is isolated by enclosing the lock in the aluminum sheet and then the treatment proceed by isolating and treating a next lock. The process goes on until all the required locks have been treated.

[6] The aforementioned process is very long and laborious and it is particularly tiring for the hairdresser who often have to work holding in the hand several tools and treatment materials. Furthermore, the treatments made by the use of the above technique are often not free from defects by the fact that the single sheets of aluminum isolating the lock are inclined to slip from their place so to produce contaminations by a lock to the next one caused by the dripping of the product.

[7] Conventionally, tool sets for hairdressers also are known consisting of support elements to be applied on the person's head and suitable to keep divided some parts of the hair to allow a smoother execution of specific cosmetic treatments.

[8] For example, in the granted Italian patent n. IT 1375596 is described a support for the cosmetic treatment of locks of hair designed in particular to facilitate the execution of treatments such as lightening of the natural color to confer a solar brightness effect to the hair. The support described in the above patent provides a hairband in plastic material suitable to be fitted as a normal hairband and a plurality of elongated resilient elements, plastically deformable departing from the top of the hairband like horns. The use of the support provides to wrap one or more locks of hair on each elongated resilient element, and engaging the locks with each other to keep them in place or by providing locking means such as pliers or tongs. After the locks have been placed about the elongated resilient element its treatment can be carried out.

[9] The support of the above mentioned patent has however its limits mainly as

regards the practical use and the treatments it allows to carry out.

Summary of the invention

[10] Thus, objects of the present invention is to propose a tool set for hairdressers which allows to facilitate the execution of cosmetic treatments on the hair.

[11] A further object of the present invention is to propose a hair holder to be applied on a person's head which allows to keep divided and accessible a plurality of single locks of hair to allow the execution of specified and selective cosmetic treatments on the latter.

[12] Another object of the present invention is to propose a hair holder to be applied on a person's head which allows to keep divided a plurality of individual locks of hair without needing the use of clamps, tongs or other hairclip tools.

[13] A further object of the present invention is to propose a tool for hairdressers

consisting of a hair holder to be applied on the person's head with a great versatility, being suitable to facilitate both the execution of chemical treatments such as coloring or discoloration of hair, and physical treatments of shaping the hair style.

[14] According to one aspect of the present invention the above objects and others are achieved by means of a hair holder as stated and characterized in the independent claim 1.

[15] The claims dependent on claim 1 describe other features of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

[16] According to the present invention, a hair holder to be applied on a person's head and suitable to allow the execution of cosmetic treatments of single locks of hair comprises a thin planar support element made of a flexible solid structure provided with an internal opening shaped and sized so as to allow said supporting element to fit a person's head like a hat, and provided with a plurality of cuts passing through the thickness of said support element and extending from an outer border to the inner of said support element.

[17] A tool for hair stylists as outlined above allows to perform cosmetic treatments on single locks of hair in a very comfortable and effective way, and in particular both treatment of coloring, discoloration or other treatments in which treating fluids are distributed on the hair, and for the realization of special hair style. In fact, the hair holder can be fitted on the head like a hat and effectively divides the portion of hair which protrude from the upper side of the internal opening with respect to that protruding from the lower side of said opening. The cuts extending from the border hold the locks of hair passed through them and then treating cosmetic products can be distributed directly on the single lock lying on the upper surface of the support element which also performs the function of preventing the treating products from flowing towards other parts of the hair or even dripping on the clothes of the person.

[18] Advantageously, the support element is made of a cross-linked closed-cell

expanded low-density polyethylene in a thickness between 3 mm and 20 mm, and it is provided with a plurality of fastening points, preferably consisting of through holes of small diameter compared to the size of the internal opening, arranged close to an outer border. One or more flexible connecting elements suitable for engaging the through holes are provided to connect each other two or more through holes so as to maintain the support element in a bent configuration.

[19] The material is durable but very flexible, resistant to chemicals, water resistant and non-toxic. Thanks to the holes close to the border and to the flexibility of the material, the support element is able to rest in the bent configurations obtained by bending the support element so that portions of the border, where are located two of said holes, are approached each other, and then forcing said portions to remain at the desired distance linking them by means of flexible connecting elements, that is, wires, laces or elastic or inextensible cables, anchored to the two above mentioned portions of the support element by means of the holes therein.

[20] According to preferred embodiments the support element has a circular shape, or triangular, or square, with the cuts spaced so as to be substantially equidistant from each other along the outer border of the support element.

[21] According to another aspect of the present invention a tool set for hairdressers is constituted by a set of support elements as outlined above in which the set comprises at least one circular- shaped support element, at least one triangular shaped and at least one square shaped.

[22] A set of support elements as outlined above allows, also due to the fact of getting bent configurations of each support element and considering that more support elements can also be used at the same time on the person's head, to provide extremely various support forms of single locks so to allow thereby to the hairstylist a great freedom of expression and handling.

Description Of Drawings

[23] These and other features of the invention will be more easily understood thanks to the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, provided as non-limitative examples, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a support element

according to the present invention;

• Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the support element of Fig.1 ;

• Figure 3 shows a detail of Fig.1 ;

• Figure 4 shows the support element of Figure 1 applied on the person's head:

FIG. 4a shows the support element applied like a hat so as to lie substantially horizontal, and in which are shown by way of example a few locks of hair constrained by the support element of the invention, FIG. 4b shows the support element applied as headband or hairband so that the support element in a direction from the rear to the front of the head is tilted upward;

• Figure 5 shows a plan view of the support of Fig. 1 in a bent configuration;

• Figures 6 to 8 show a tool set for hairdressers according to the present

invention composed of a set of 6 support elements according to the invention: the fig. 6a and 6b show plan views of circular- shaped support elements, quite similar to that of Fig. 1, the Fig. 7a and 7b show plan views of the triangular shaped support elements, the Fig. 8a and 8b show plan views of the square- shaped support elements;

• Figure 9 shows a top view similar to that of Fig. 1 of an alternative embodiment of a hair holder according to the invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[24] With reference to Figures 1 to 5, a hair holder, 10, according to the present

invention comprises, according to a first embodiment, a support element, 11, composed by a disk-shaped element, that means a thin planar support element with circular shape and centrally provided with an internal opening, 12, also of circular shape. The internal opening 12 is sized so as to allow the support element (11) to fit a person's head like a hat or headband, while the outer diameter is advantageously between 25 cm and 60 cm. The substantially two-dimensional planar shape of the support element 11 and the presence of the internal opening 12 allow to identify in the support element 11 an upper surface, 16, a bottom surface, 18, a outer border, 14, and a border of the internal opening, 19.

[25] A plurality of cuts, 13, passing through the thickness and extending from a outer border 14 of the support element 11 to the inner of said support element. Specifically, the through cuts are arranged to elongate radially from the border 14 towards the center of the support element 11, equally spaced a few centimetres from the adjacent ones so that thirty-two through cuts 13 are along the border. More in general, advantageous embodiments of the invention provide along the border at least twelve through cuts 13. With reference to the detail view of Fig. 3, the through cuts 13 are provided with a cut portion, 13 a, extending from the border 14 towards the interior of the support element 11 and an opening portion, 13b, disposed at the inner end of the cut portion 13 a. With reference to Figure 4a a lock of hair after being isolated from the remaining of the hair is associated to a cut 13 by inserting it from the border 14, and sliding it towards the internal part of the cut. In correspondence to the cut portion 13a the two edges of the opening are very close each other and then tighten the inserted lock of hair so as to hold it firmly. In event of voluminous lock of hair C, it is made slide until the enlarged opening portion 13b where an housing of larger dimensions is placed. Obviously, the above configuration of the cuts 13 is advantageous but not binding, inasmuch as the enlarged opening portion 13b may not be present or other configurations may be provided such as to be always able to maintain the lock of hair effectively tightened so that it is not necessary the using of pliers or tongs to hold it. Furthermore, in the shown embodiment all the cuts 13 extend for the same length toward the inner of the support element 11, but in alternative embodiments could be provided different lengths of the cuts 13, which could be, for example, between 10 mm and 100 mm. In this way, for example by distinguishing of the length of adjacent cuts 13, the locks of hair C could be maintained more spaced each other, especially as regards the portion of the lock of hair protruding downwards from its cut 13, from the side of the bottom surface 19 of the support element 11.

[26] With reference to fig. 9, an alternative embodiment of hair holder, 10"', according to the invention provides a plurality of cuts, 13"', passing through the thickness and extending from the border 19 of the internal opening 12 outwards in a radial direction. The function of the cuts 13"' 'is still the one of restraining, as a clamp, single locks passed through the cuts from the bottom side 18 to the upper side 16 of the support element 11 or vice versa. Obviously, there are also cuts 13 '"extending from the outer border 14. The support element 11 is also provided with a plurality of fastening points, 15, arranged in various positions close to the outer border 14 adapted to be linked together. In the figured embodiment, each fastening point 15 is constituted by a through hole smaller than the size of the internal opening 12. The circular support element 11 is provided with four through holes 15 arranged equidistant from the outer border 14 and equally spaced between them, that is 90 degrees to each other.

[27] The support element 11 is made of solid structure, in which the communication between the upper surface 16 and the bottom surface 18 takes place only in correspondence of the border 19 of the internal opening, the outer border 14, the cuts 13 and of the holes 15. Moreover, the support element is made of a flexible material, water resistant, non-toxic and resistant to chemicals. Advantageously, the support element is made of a material having the above features, that is a low-density polyethylene, preferably between 30 kg / m3 and 60 kg / m3, cross-linked closed cell expanded in thickness between 3 mm and 20 mm. Thanks to the material's solid structure and to its waterproofness and resistance to chemicals, the support element 11 divides efficiently the locks of hair associated to it from the remaining part of the hair, preventing the treating fluid that is applied to the lock of hair from contaminating the remaining part of the hair or from dripping on the person's clothing.

[28] In addition, the flexibility of the support element 11 is such that it can be elastically bent in an easy manner but with a shape memory such as it resumes to its original shape as a result of the ending of stresses that cause its deformation.

[29] As shown in FIG. 5, in the figured embodiment, the hair holder of the invention comprises a flexible connecting elements, 20, arranged to connect each other two diametrically opposed through holes 15 and keeping them at a distance less than the distance they are in the non-bent configuration of the support element 11.The flexible connecting element 20 keeps the supporting element 11 in the bent configuration of Fig. 5 in which the two diametrically opposite flaps, where the through holes 15 to which is bound the connecting element 20 are arranged, are curved upwards. As can be understandable, the bent configurations that can be achieved and maintained thanks to the association of one or more of the connecting elements 20 with two or more through holes 15 are extremely varied, thus enabling the hairdresser a great freedom of interpretation and handling.

[30] The flexible connection elements may be inextensible or elastic with elastic

constant great compared to the elasticity modulus of the support element, so as to effectively perform the main function of keeping the supporting element 11 in the bent configuration. The connecting elements 20 can be associated with the through holes 15 in different ways, for example by providing, by means of knots or other means, some sections of the connecting element 20 with a greater diameter than the one of the through holes 15. Alternatively, the fastening points 15 may include connecting members of a different type, such as button-type elements, clips, or more.

[31] A tool set for hairdressers according to the present invention comprises a plurality of hair holders according to the invention.

[32] With reference to Figures 6 to 8 is shown a tool set for hairdresser comprising a set of six hair holders according to the invention.

[33] In Figures 6a and 6b is shown a first couple of circular hair holders 10a, 10b substantially identical to the one shown in Figures 1 to 5. The hair holders 10 a, 10b of Fig. 6 have a circular shape with internal opening 12a, 12b of circular shape, and they provide cuts 13 in a number greater than or equal to twelve, arranged equally spaced from each other and elongated radially towards the center of the support element 11, and the through holes 15 being in a number greater than or equal to four, arranged equidistant from each other and from the outer border 14. The two hair holders 10a, 10b differ only for the different diameters of the related internal openings 12a, 12b, allowing the use of the most suitable holder according to the head's size where it is to be applied or as a function of how it is to be fitted on the head.

[34] In Figures 7a and 7b is shown a second couple of hair holderslO'a, 10'b. The hair holders 10'a, 10'b of Fig. 7 have the shape of a equilateral triangle with internal opening 12'a, 12'b of circular shape, they provide cuts 13' in a number greater or equal to four on each side of the triangle and arranged equidistant from each other and elongated in a direction perpendicular to the side thereof, and the through holes 15' being three in number, arranged one at each vertex of the triangle. The two hair holders 10'a, 10'b differ only for the different diameters of the related internal openings 12'a, 12'b, allowing to use of the most suitable holder according to sizes of the head where it is to be applied or as a function of how it is to be fitted on the head.

[35] In Figures 8a and 8b is shown a third couple of hair holders 10"a, 10"b. The hair holders 10"a, 10"b of Fig. 8 have a square shape with internal opening 12"a, 12"b of circular shape, and they provide cuts 13" in a number greater or equal to four on each side of the square arranged equidistant from each another and elongated in a direction perpendicular to the side thereof, and the through holes 15" being in number of 4 arranged one at each vertex of the square. The two hair holders 10 " a, 10"b differ only for the different diameters of the related internal openings 12"a, 12"b, allowing to use of the most suitable holder according to sizes of the head where it is to be applied or as a function of how it is to be fitted on the head.

[36] A tool set for hairdressers composed of a set of hair holders 10, 10 ', 10' 'as

described above allows the hairdresser a great freedom of expression as it enable to use multiple supports simultaneously and also extremely different bent configurations are achievable so to create hair style so varied and imaginative likewise.

[37] Obviously, also different sets can be composed and also different shapes of the support element can be provided, for example uneven, to wavy pattern, polygonal or other yet.

[38] However, the advantages of a hair holder and of a tool set for hairdresser according to the present invention are not changed although other variations or changes may be made without going beyond the scope of protection for the inventive idea as claimed below.