The present invention relates to a technical sheet for hairdressers. The sheet can be associated with a spatula or tablet. The invention also relates to a method for using them to develop colour effects by performing localized bleaching or colouring of the hair such as highlights or streaks.

The known sheets for hairdressers essentially consist of thin sheets of aluminium or tin foil, plastics, opalescent paper or other materials of paper and non-paper origin, which are all substantially opaque. These known sheets have the drawback that, because of their opacity, they do not allow the hairdresser to check the hair colouring procedure both during bleaching and during dyeing of the hair.

Another drawback of the known sheets, and especially aluminium sheets, consists in the development of often excessive heat, in particular when using a bleaching powder. In fact, the bleach, penetrating into the hair, causes disintegration of the pigments, resulting in lightening of the hair. The use of aluminium sheets in order to wrap the locks of hair to be bleached results in the excessive development of heat in particular if a bleaching powder is used, since it swells, dries and does not allow the lightening process to continue to the desired degree, with the risk of further damaging the structure of the hair.

Moreover, all the sheets of the known type mentioned above are opaque and therefore block the vision of the hair lightening or colouring process, i.e. do not allow the hairdresser to check what is happening at all, unless he/she decides to open the sheets beforehand. In this case the bleaching or colouring times must be strictly adhered to since even a delay of only one minute could damage the structure of the hair. Sheets are also known where there is a transparent section and a section formed by strips or filaments of flexible and adhesive composite-metal or metal-alloy material, such as a strip of aluminium and adhesive alloy, said sheets being able to be stably sealed together by superimposing two opposite adhesive strips; this, however, results in a complicated assembly procedure, owing to the presence of adhesive metal zones and the need to fold the sheets onto each other and align the adhesive strips, with predetermined dimensions therefore and difficulty of fixing together the predefined zones.

Hairdressers in general usually make a note of the colour formulation which has been prepared for a particular client and then use this formulation whenever the client dyes decides to dye their hair again. However, hairdressers do not have the possibility of remembering the colour arrangement and/or the different colour shades, owing to the lack of reference points which form a "guide map" for the arrangement of the colours in order to obtain particular chromatic effects. The sheets of the known type, which are opaque or partially transparent, are not designed to allow one to make a note on the technical sheet itself of this colour formulation and composition, nor do they provide reference points which can also be used for guidance during use.

Also known are work spatulas or tablets which are used during colouring of the hair in combination with the sheets. However, these spatulas, which are generally made of aluminium, plastic, wood or other material, do not have any kind of lines or patterns which can be used as reference points and as a guide map.

The object of the present invention is to improve the ease of assembly of the sheets and the spatulas of the known type and to overcome the drawbacks of the sheets and spatulas of the prior art.

The object of the present invention is also to allow the hairdresser to check the progress of the hair treatment procedure, both during bleaching and during dyeing of the hair, without having to open the sheets or use partially transparent sheets which have a design and mode of use which is not simple and immediate.

Another object of the invention is to use sheets of material such as not to allow the development of heat which is often excessive in particular when using bleaching powder.

Yet another object of the invention is to allow a note to be made on the technical sheet and/or the spatula itself of the specific colour formulation and composition for a given client, so as to have reference points which are repeatable and which can also be used for guidance during use.

According to the present invention it is provided a technical sheet for hairdressers consisting of a sheet of non-toxic transparent material having, marked thereon, a combination of lines and curves which allow the technical sheet to be divided into zones for performing the application of colour in accordance with the marked pattern and which act as reference points for application of the colour in reproducible layouts. These colour application operations may be performed both using conventional techniques, for example so as to obtain highlights or streaks, and with variation of the colour effects. In this case, owing to the transparency of the technical sheet, it is possible to apply the colour in the different zones defined by the pattern in the manner of a map, using colours which are also different or with different intensities or shades depending on the different zones chosen, thus creating bold colour contrasts or more or less delicate shades, so providing the hairstyle as a whole with a dynamic effect or gradual shades of colour.

The transparent technical sheets provided with such patterns or "maps" in accordance with the invention preferably consist, for example, of sheets of non-toxic polypropylene material which are marked with dividing lines such that the sheets are suitable for being to perform localized colouring/bleaching of the hair, i.e. highlights, streaks or the like. Owing to the transparency and the dividing lines of the technical sheets according to the invention it is also possible to monitor the effects of the various colour arrangements or colour shades achieved as well as the progress of the hair colouring or bleaching operations.

The transparent technical sheets which are "mapped", namely which have such dividing lines marked on them, preferably have a thickness of 0.40-0.60 micrometres and a length of 20-60 cm or more and a width of 12 cm or more. Thicknesses which are less than 0.40 micrometres result in sheets which are too thin and light and cannot be easily handled, while sheets with thicknesses greater than 0.60 micrometres are not sufficiently pliable and also cannot be easily handled during use.

During use, a lock of hair is placed on these technical sheets and an ordinary dyeing brush is used to apply the colour or bleach in the form of a cream, gel or bleaching powder or in another commonly known form. The colour and/or bleach is applied onto the lock of hair using the transparent technical sheet in a conventional manner or following the pattern shown on it. Therefore, instead of folding or wrapping the sheet onto itself, as is commonly performed with the aluminium sheets or the other paper sheets or transparent sheets of known type, where the folds may create the well-known "colour barring effects", the transparent technical sheet according to the invention is spread out, resting it on top of a similar technical sheet, and the two sheets are pressed together, also aligning with each other any patterns which they may have. When the two technical sheets are spread out, arranged on top of each other and pressed together with in between the treated lock of hair, they will not swell and generate an excessive amount of dry heat, as in the case of aluminium sheets, but instead a heat which is not dry and retains a certain degree of moisture will be produced depending on the natural heat of the head, such that there will be no intensive oxidation due to the substances applied, both during bleaching and during colouring. Moreover, with the mapped technical sheet according to the invention, it is possible to apply different dyeing techniques, using single operations, thereby shortening the treatment time. For example owing to the lines which are shown on the technical sheet according to the invention, one or more dyes for a number of locks of hair may be applied simultaneously on the same technical sheet and/or at the same time the bleaching of other locks may performed, thus reducing the treatment time and allowing also all the treatments to be monitored.

Since the patterned technical sheets are transparent, the hairdresser may also monitor visually step-by-step the progress of bleaching or colouring in the various zones of the technical sheet and the pattern, without having to open the sheets, as usually occurs with aluminium or paper sheets, and may control the treatment time by checking the effect of the dye on the hair, being able to intervene when the desired effect is obtained, without the possibility of wrongly calculating the treatment time and thus risking damaging the hair.

The technical sheet according to the invention may also be placed on the head at various angles and, owing to the lines which are marked on it, the hairdresser may decide how to colour the hair, marking if necessary the operating steps and the different colours or shades directly on the technical sheets, so as to be able to provide instructions also to assistants as to how to proceed, without the danger of committing errors in the execution sequence of the bold colours, since the technical sheet, with the patterns which act as reference points and lines, showing the colours marked in each zone of the pattern, may be regarded as a work map which can be reproduced as required.

The dyeing or bleaching operations carried out on locks of hair may also be performed using the abovementioned technical sheets in combination with any known spatula of the conventional type used by hairdressers. However, the present invention also relates to a spatula or tablet which has, preferably, a less curved form and is substantially without the end comb compared to the known spatulas and has the same type of patterns as those provided on the technical sheets, which patterns may be reproduced in full or partially.

In particular the spatula according to the invention may have the same lines or curves which form entirely or partly the pattern or map shown on the transparent technical sheets, and may also have a simplified pattern, the basic lines of which act as reference points for positioning the patterned transparent technical sheet; in this way, the hairdresser may follow the patterns and may apply the colour in accordance with the choices made so as to define the arrangement of the colour or different colours in accordance with the pattern shown thereon. It is thus possible to place on these spatulas or tablets either transparent sheets without lines or patterns, so that only the patterns shown on the spatula itself may be followed, or technical sheets according to the invention provided entirely or partly with the spatula patterns, so that the operator may follow the patterns and apply the colour. In this way the same reference points of the technical sheets may be used as a guide.

Once the colour has been applied to the hair supported by the spatula over which a transparent, patterned or non-patterned, technical sheet has been placed, the colour is organized as described above and then a second transparent, patterned or non-patterned, technical sheet is spread on top of the first technical sheet and the two sheets are pressed together, allowing a reaction time to lapse until the desired colouring or bleaching effect is obtained, with visual monitoring of the process step-by-step.

The present invention will now be described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it being understood that constructional variants may be applicable without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a view of a spread-out transparent technical sheet provided with a preferred set of lines, segments and curves according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a view of a further transparent technical sheet with a variant of the set of lines, segments and curves according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a spatula according to the invention;

Figures 4 and 5 show, respectively, two basic patterns which may be provided on a technical sheet or on a spatula;

Figure 6 shows a transparent technical sheet with a lock of hair placed on top;

Figure 7 shows a schematic view of a technical sheet as used according to the invention;

Figure 8 shows an exemplary schematic view of the use of a variant of the technical sheet shown in Figure 2 according to the invention;

Figure 9 shows an exemplary schematic view of a following step of the working procedure shown in Figure 8, with the arrangement, on top, of a second technical sheet covering the dye, according to the invention.

Figure 10 shows an exemplary schematic view of a further step of the working procedure shown in Figure 8, with the arrangement, on top, of a third technical sheet so as to further cover a different additional dyeing treatment, according to the invention; Figure 11 shows an exemplary schematic view of a further variant of the technical sheet shown in Figure 2 according to the invention.

With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the general appearance of a transparent technical sheet 1 showing sections of lines 2 and 3, as well as curves 4 designed to define zones indicated generically by 5, 6 and 7 with different dimensions and forms, but all obtained by the subdivision of the technical sheet by means of the said lines 2, 3 and curves 4.

Figure 2 shows a variant of the pattern shown on the transparent technical sheet 1 divided up into a greater number of zones 5, 6 and 7 by the lines 2 and 3 and by the curves 4, to which further lines for example additional lines 8 may be added, for a more detailed subdivision of the various zones, creating smaller and more numerous spaces.

Figure 3 shows schematically a spatula provided with, for example, the same lines as those on the transparent technical sheet shown in the embodiment of Figure 4, but clearly it may be provided entirely or partially with the same lines and/or curves as the technical sheets according to other embodiments of the invention, so as to assist with the use of these technical sheets or allow the use of any type of transparent sheet, even though not provided with guiding or mapping patterns. These spatulas may be made using different known materials such as aluminium, plastic, wood or other suitable material.

These spatulas may be provided substantially with the same complete or partial patterns as the transparent technical sheets and may further be personalised for a particular regular client by marking on them in a permanent and precise manner, in the manner of a map, the preferred colour combinations for that particular client.

Figures 4 and 5 show further examples of basic patterns which may be provided in a generic manner on the spatulas which, if necessary, will then be combined with transparent technical sheets provided with supplementary or complementary patterns.

Figure 6 shows a lock of hair 10 being treated and placed on a transparent technical sheet 1. Through the lock of hair 10 it is possible to see the various lines 2 and 3 and the curves 4 as well as the further lines 8 which, together, form a guide map with reference points for the arrangement of the colour or colours.

Figure 7 shows the technical sheet according to Figure 1 where the subdivision into zones is intended to guide the hairdresser during the colour arrangement; for example, depending on the hairdresser's creativity or the user's preferences, it may be decided to colour the zone 5 as a blonde zone, the zone 6 as a red zone, and the zone 7 as a chestnut zone, or these zones may be coloured with different shades of the same colour, so as to have different colour effects or nuances which give the hair a new look and a different style.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show different stages during application of one or more different colours or dyes to a client's hair. More particularly, Figure 8 shows for example the use of an alternative technical sheet to the technical sheet shown in Figure 2, in which the lines 8 have been omitted. A lock of hair 10, which is to undergo for example colouring 12 by means of a brush 13, is positioned on this technical sheet which is held with one hand 11 against the person's head. Once application of the dye has been completed, a second technical sheet la is placed on top of this technical sheet and pressed together with the first technical sheet 1, with the treated lock of hair 12 in between, making use of the self-sealing properties of the material of the technical sheet and/or the adhesive nature of the treatment material, so that the treated lock of hair 12 is enclosed between the two technical sheets 1, la and the colouring or bleaching process takes place as a result of the natural moist heat which is produced between the two technical sheets. Finally, Figure 10 shows a third technical sheet lb which is arranged on top of and pressed together with the previous sheet in the same manner, so as to enclose a further treated lock of hair 14 which has been coated with different dyeing colours or tones, depending on the hairdresser's creativity or the user's preferences.

Figure 11 shows a further variation of the pattern provided on the transparent technical sheet which is subdivided into a greater number of zones, thus creating an even greater number of small spaces.

According to the invention, moreover, it is envisaged providing a set of technical sheets provided with different combinations of lines and curves so as to create different patterns; this set of technical sheets may be combined, if necessary, with at least one spatula which may be also provided entirely or partly with lines and subdivisions into zones in the same manner as the technical sheets supplied in the set, so as to form a complete and organised kit which is ready for use, where necessary together with the various dyes, gloves, cape, cap, brush and other accessories required for use in hair treatment.

In one embodiment the hairdresser could also personalise the kit consisting of at least one spatula and technical sheets for a given client by recording the references, abbreviations or identification code of the various colours in the various zones on the technical sheets or the at least one spatula, so as to have a concrete work plan or map which also allows other hairdressers and/or assistants, or even the user at home, to operate in a safe manner and be sure of obtaining the same results each time.

In a further embodiment, the technical sheet and the spatula according to the invention may also be designed so as to include, in each zone of the respective patterns, references, abbreviations and/or identification codes of various colours so as to have a work plan or map which can be followed and repeated, so as to allow any hairdresser and/or directly the end users at home on their own to reproduce a hair treatment with a predefined series of particular colour-programmed effects.

Although described in connection with a number of constructional forms which are currently preferred and a number of non-limiting examples of embodiment of the invention, it is understood that the scope of protection of said invention is defined by the content of the following claims.