EP0224069B2 - Curl paper-type hair-curler and method of producing it - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to curls of the papillot type, which have a plastic body and a plastic, deformable core, and a method for their production in which a plastic, deformable core is introduced into a plastic body.

Papillote type curls, also called papillotes below, essentially consist of a cylindrical plastic body which has a wire core. Because of their comfortable handling and the pleasant feeling when wearing them, they have now become a permanent fixture in hair care products. Papillots of this type are known for example from DE-OS 32 34 672. To manufacture them, the plastic body is cast around the wire core inserted into a corresponding mold before the casting process and the plastic is welded or glued to the material of the wire core. This manufacturing process is relatively expensive because it requires a closed mold. This must be designed so that the wire core is fixed in it in a predetermined position even during the casting process.

From DE-OS 33 46 164 papillots and a process for their production are known. A foam plastic body is then produced as an endless profile with endlessly inserted wire from plastic foam profiles produced in a direct gassing process with physical blowing agents. The endless profile is cut after its manufacture and processed at the separation points so that the wire insert can not come out of the interface. In order to avoid the risk of injury, the foamed wire ends must be shortened or bent, which leads to greater stress on the plastic material in the end areas of the papillots and thus to a pre-programmed destruction of the papillots. In addition, the final processing of the papillots is complex because already incorporated material has to be removed again, which leads to unnecessary waste.

A further method for producing the papillots consists in punching out cylindrical bodies from plastic plates which have a thickness corresponding to the length of the finished papillots and then providing them with a wire insert. With the most commonly used foamed plastics, this leads to an open-pore surface of the plastic body, since the foam bubbles are destroyed during the punching. In addition, plastic waste is generated by punching, which increases the material and thus the manufacturing costs.

All the papillotes described have the disadvantage that the coiled hair dries poorly. Either the plastic body is not absorbent and has a smooth surface, then the hair can only slowly release the water due to a lack of air circulation, since the water can only move away from the side facing away from the papillote, or the papillots absorb the water, then must evaporate the absorbed water before the hair has dried satisfactorily.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive method for producing papillots. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hair roll of the papillot type, which is inexpensive to produce.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method according to claim 1.

Commercially available round sealing cords, which are otherwise used for sealing in the construction sector, can advantageously be used to produce the papillots. This material, which is produced in continuous profiles with a round, circular or oval cross section, is relatively inexpensive and easy to process.

Exactly as much material is cut from the endless profile for each of the papillots as is necessary for its production. The plastically deformable core is also only prepared in the required length, which is generally shorter than the length of the plastic body. This means that there is practically no waste. The production can be carried out quickly, since practically no heating, melting and cooling processes can be seen. The quality of the papillote surface can be easily controlled by selecting a suitable round sealing cord and structured with little effort.

The resulting papillots have the advantage that they pose no risk of injury. They are comfortable to wear. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the papillots is designed so that it allows air to circulate around the hair.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Hauptbestandteile eines Lockenwickels der Papillotenart,
• Fig. 2 verschiedene Stirnansichten von Papilloten,
• Fig. 3 ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines Lockenwickels mit strukturierter Oberfläche und
• Fig. 4 eine weitere Ausführungsform eines Lockenwickels mit strukturierter Oberfläche.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention result from the subclaims and the following description of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. In it show:

• 1 is a perspective view of the main components of a papillot type curl,
• 2 different end views of papillots,
• Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a curl with a structured surface and
• Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of a curl with a structured surface.

Fig. 1 shows the two main components of a papillote type curl. Such a Curling has a plastic body 5 and a plastically deformable core 1. The plastic body 5 is cut to length by an endless round sealing cord, so that a cylindrical body with two end faces 8 is created. The profile of the round sealing cord can have a circular, round or oval cross section. Circular sealing cords of the type used are usually used in the construction industry for sealing wall joints or windows and doors. They are mainly made from extrusion-foamed polyethylene, polypropylene or other plastics.

The plastically deformable core 1 is formed from a material that can be easily bent and remains in the bent state after the bending. Individual or bundled metal wires, plastically deformable plastics or fiber-reinforced materials are usually used for this. In the case of metal wires and in all other embodiments of the plastically deformable core, the ends of which are very thin, it may be expedient to bend the ends in an eyelet shape. Alternatively, it can also be expedient to compress the ends in a mushroom shape. In any case, the ends should be designed so that there is no risk of injury if the ends of the plastically deformable core 1 touch the scalp accidentally.

After the plastic body 5 has been cut to length from the round sealing cord, a slot is made in the plastic body 5 through one of the end faces 8. This slot can have any profile. Examples of slot profiles are shown in Fig. 2. Depending on the design of the piercing tool used to produce the slot, the slot can be in the form of a line, a cross or a star in cross section. Any other slot profile is also possible. Depending on the structure of the plastic used for the plastic body 5, it is also possible to produce a bore by drilling. The opening formed in the plastic body 5 (slot or bore) only has to be surrounded by material on all sides except for one end face 8.

During the introduction of the slit, the plastic body 5 is held, for example, by a prism-shaped holding device which comprises the long sides of the body 5. Any other holding device is also possible, which prevents the plastic body from escaping to the sides.

After the slot or the bore 2 has been introduced, the plastically deformable core 1 is introduced into the plastic body 5.

In a further embodiment, the slot can also be introduced from the long side of the plastic body 5, whereupon the core is inserted through the slot.

It may be appropriate to close the slot 2 again. This closing can be done for example by gluing or welding.

In a further embodiment of the production method, the plastically deformable core can also be pressed into the plastic body 5 or shot in from the end face 8. It may be expedient to heat the plastically deformable core before insertion in order to ensure a good connection with the plastic body 5.

In a further embodiment of the method, the plastically deformable core 1 is heated to such an extent before it is introduced into the plastic body that it can be melted into the plastic body 5.

The surface of the plastic body 5 can be structured in any manufacturing step. This structuring can take place as long as the plastic body is still part of the round sealing cord. However, it is preferably carried out after the plastic body 5 has been cut to length from the round sealing cord, before or after the introduction of the plastically deformable core 1. The structuring of the surface has the effect that grooves 6, grooves 7, or other depressions are introduced into the surface. Examples of these embodiments are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. To introduce the respective depressions, the unnecessary material can be removed from the plastic body 5 by cutting. In a further embodiment, the depressions are produced by heat treatment. For this heat treatment, a heated profile is pressed onto the surface of the plastic body 5 so that the desired depressions, for example grooves 6 or grooves 7, are melted into the surface of the plastic body 5. Since the hair is wrapped smoothly around the plastic body 5 when the papillots are used later, the grooves 6 or grooves 7 allow air to circulate, which contributes to faster drying of the hair. The grooves 6 or grooves 7 can extend over the entire surface of the plastic body 5. However, it can be expedient for the grooves 6 or grooves 7 to extend only over a central region of the plastic body 5.

Claims (11)

1. A process for the production of a bendable curling roller with a plastically deformable core in a plastics body, wherein

   a) the plastics body is cut to length from a round sealing cord-like extrusion-foamed cord, and

   b) the plastically deformable core is introduced into the plastics body which has been cut to length.
2. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the plastics body (5) is pre-pierced or pre-bored from one of its ends (8) whereupon the plastically deformable core (1) is introduced through the resulting opening (2).
3. A process according to claim 1 characterised in that the plastically deformable core (1) is pressed into the plastics body (5) or is shot in from the end (8) .
4. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that one or more metal wires are used as the plastically deformable core (1).
5. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that a plastically deformable plastics material or a fibre-reinforced material is used as the plastically deformable core (1).
6. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the plastically deformable core (1) is bent over in an eye-like configuration at its ends.
7. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the plastically deformable core (1) is heated before being introduced into the plastics body (5).
8. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that the plastically deformable core (1) is fused into the plastics body (5).
9. A process according to at least one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the opening (2) in the plastics body (5) which is produced when the plastically deformable core (1) is introduced is closed in particular by glueing or welding.
10. A hair curler of the bendable curling roller type which has a plastics body and a plastically deformable core wherein the plastics body is a portion which is cut to length of a round sealing cord-like extrusion-foamed cord, wherein the plastically deformable core is introduced into the portion which has already been cut to length.
11. A hair curler according to claim 10 characterised in that the plastically deformable core (1) is formed from a plastically deformable plastics material.

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