GB2133283A - Hair rinsing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A hair rinsing device comprises a basin 10 having a wall 16 with a U-shaped indentation 26 for reception of a user's neck. A series of hoops 46, 48, 50, 52 which have apertures 80 arranged to direct fine streams of water radially inwards are mounted on the basin 10 and pivotable to positions such that the whole of the user's hair can be simultaneously rinsed. Rinsing water is caused to accumulate in a pool in a swirl pool area 30 by a weir 28. Process timers and/or neutralization or cleanliness indicators for the water draining from the hair may be provided, also water neutralizing means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hair rinsing device This invention relates to hair rinsing devices, the term "rinsing" being used in this specification to include hair washing and applying to hair a treatment agent such as a solution of neutralising agent. The hair rinsing devices according to the invention find particular, but not exclusive use, in the field of permanent waving.

Permanent waving is quite a complicated procedure which comprises the following steps: 1) Washing the hair 2) Rolling the hair in curlers 3) Applying chemical solution A 4) Allowing solution A to take effect 5) Rinsing the hair thoroughly 6) Applying chemical solution B 7) Allowing chemical solution B to take effect 8) Removing the curlers 9) Rinsing the hair 10) Drying the hair The rinsing step 5) is critical as, if solution A is not completely rinsed away, the waving will fail and the whole procedure have to be repeated. As complete rinsing is so important a rinsing time of ten minutes is recommended and the hairdresser must ensure that the most dense portions of hair receive most attention.Clearly the rinsing step is tedious to perform, tending to lead to lapses of concentration on the part of the hairdresser with -the consequence that patches of hair may not be completely rinsed and the waving fails.

Numerous devices have been proposed to reduce the labour involved in permanent waving and in performing other hair treatments. Most of these devices include a hood or helmet which fits over the head and has its edges in sealing engagement therewith. Such devices tend to be uncomfortable to wear and impair inspection of the hair during treatment. Typical of such devices and one which also incorporates a small basin, above which the user's head is supported, is the automatic hair dressing apparatus disclosed in UK Patent Specification No. 1,272,394 (Parker). This apparatus comprises two head segments, each of which is mounted at one end for oscillatory movement, the other end being resiliently urged into sealing engagement with the user's head. A spray head is mounted on each segment as well as brush or sponge pads.In use the segments are driven by an electric motor to oscillate together about an axis approximately parallel to the user's neck.

According to the present invention there is provided a hair rinsing device comprising a basin for receiving the head of a person whose hair is to be washed and spray means which are mounted thereon and are adjustable so as to enable the whole area of exposed hair to be simultaneously subjected to a water spray.

Preferably the spray means are pivotally mounted on the basin and take the form of a plurality of hoops having a series of apertures on the inside thereof.

One or more spray heads may be mounted on each hoop to secure greater flow in areas where the hair is likely to be thickest. Optionally, spray heads, which may be non-adjustable, are located on opposed sides of the basin for directing sprays at respective sides of the head.

In a preferred embodiment a weir which extends across the bottom of the basin causes the build up of a pool of water in which hair may lie for prolonged contact with rinsing water.

The device of the present invention does not rely on mechanical movement of the sprays during rinsing in order to achieve full coverage, nor on sequential operation of groups of spray heads, and is thus much simpler and cheaper to produce than the elaborate prior art devices. Moreover the user's head is not in contact with the device save where the neck rests on the wall of the basin, thus minimising discomfort to the user and permitting observation of the rinsing operation throughout its course. It will be appreciated that the basin and jets are normally so arranged that the jets are always directed into the basin whatever the position of the spray means.

A particular advantage afforded by the devices according to the present invention is that they are far less forbidding to the customer than the prior art devices, many of which resemble instruments of torture rather than aids to better and more efficient hairdressing.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan of a hair rinsing device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a section on the line Il-Il in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an elevation of the device, taken from the neck-receiving end; and, Figure 4 is a detail of a hoop, being a fragmentary section on the line IV--IV in Fig. 1.

The hair rinsing device shown in the drawings consists essentially of a basin 10 moulded from plastics material, and spray means (to be described later) mounted thereon.

The basin 10 comprises a base 1 2 formed with a peripheral recess 1 2a which serves to locate the device on a stand, and an upper portion consisting of a floor 14 and an integrally moulded wall 16 of generally inverted U-section having an inner head end portion 1 8a, an outer head end portion 1 8b; two inner side portions 20a, 22a; two outer side portions 20b, 22b; and an inner neck end portion 24a and an outer neck end portion 24b, the portions 24a, 24b, being generally lower and moulded with a central U-shaped indentation 26 for receiving and supporting a user's neck. The floor 1 4 is provided with a transverse cill 28 which forms between it and the inner neck end wall portion 24a a swirlpool area 30.

Between the cill 28 and inner head end wall portion 1 8a there is positioned a drain comprising a flange 32, L-shaped adaptor 34 and spigot 36 on which is received a flexible drain hose 38 passing out through the outer head end wall portion 1 8b.

A water inlet connector 40 for connection to an adjustable temperature water supply passes through the outer head end wall portion 1 8b in a position above and offset from the drain hose 38 and is secured by a screw-threaded flange 42. The inner end of the connector 40 receives an end of the branched supply ducting 44 which lies between the side wall portions 20a, 20b.

Three arcuate hoops 46, 48, 50 and a rectangular form hoop 52 constituting spray means are mounted across the basin 1 0. The details of the identical mountings are best shown in Fig. 4 which is a section through the hoop 46.

On the inlet side (right hand side as seen in Fig. 4) the end of one of the branches of the supply ducting 44 is secured by a clip 54 to a tube 56 projecting radially from a 900 adaptor 57, the outlet end of which receives a hollow spigot 58 secured in an aperture in the inner side wall portion 20a. Rotatably mounted on the projecting end of the spigot 58 is a cap 60, the wall of which is drilled to receive the inlet end of the hoop 46.

The spigot 58 is provided with an annular channel 62 opposite the end of the hoop 46, the channel 62 communicating with the hollow interior of the spigot 58 by a radial passage 64. Leakage between the cap 60 and spigot 58 is prevented by an O-ring seal 66. The spigot 58 and cap 60 thus constitute a swivel joint through which the hoop 46 receives a supply of water from the ducting 44.

At its other, closed end the hoop 46 is received in a radial aperture in the head 68 of a swivel piece 70, the shank 72 of which is rotatably received in apertures in the side wall portions 22a, 22b between which it is surrounded by a spacer 74. The outer, threaded end of the shank 72 receives a washer 76 and locking nut 78, by means of which the hoop 46 can be secured at any desired position between the horizontal and a raised position.

The hoop 46 is drilled at an angle of 100 to the plane thereof so as to form numerous small apertures 80 which, in use, direct streams of water downwardly with respect to the plane of the hoop and the hoops 48, 50 are similarly drilled at an angle of 180. The hoop 52 is drilled only along its side arms at an angle of 250 in the opposite direction so that the streams of water are upwardly directed.

For use the inlet connector of the hair-rinsing device is connected to an adjustable-temperature supply of water. The head of the user whose hair is to be washed is then placed face upwards in the basin 10 with the neck resting in the indentation 26. The hoops 46, 48, 50, 52 are pivoted after the water supply has been turned on so that the spray formed by the streams of water issuing through the apertures 80 gives complete coverage of the hair, depending on the head shape and hair style.

The hoops are locked in the desired positions by screwing up the lock nuts. The head is allowed to remain in position for the recommended rinse time, at the end of which the hair will be completely rinsed and free of any previously applied chemical solution.

The device may be modified by fitting process timers and/or an indicator to indicate the state of neutralisation or cleanliness of the water draining from the hair. Provision may also be made for the introduction of a neutralising agent into the water inlet.

The orientation of the apparatus 80 in the three arcuate hoops 46, 48, 50 ensures that the streams of water issuing therefrom are always directed downwardly towards the floor 14 of the basin and do not fall onto the surrounding floor.

Moreover the downward direction of these streams and the upward direction of the streams from the lowermost hoop 52 ensure the most beneficial rinsing action. Rinsing water accumulating in the swirlpool area 30 provides a pool in which long hair can lie for continuous immersion.

Claims (9)

1. A hair rinsing device comprising a basin for receiving the head of a person whose hair is to be rinsed, spray means for forming a spray constituted by a plurality of individual streams of water, and adjustable mounting means enabling the spray means to be adjusted so that the whole area of exposed hair is simultaneously rinsed.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the spray means comprise a plurality of tubular hoops arranged to direct said streams radially inwards.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which said mounting means are pivotal mounting means enabling each hoop to be pivoted between a first position in which it lies in a plane parallel to the mouth of the basin and a second, raised position.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which at least one of said hoops is arranged to direct the streams issuing therefrom downwardly into the basin when the respective hoop is in said first position.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 and further comprising a weir for retaining a pool of water at the bottom of the basin.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, in which a portion of the wall of the basin is formed with a U-shaped profile for receiving and supporting the neck of the user.

7. A hair rinsing device as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described.

8. A hair rinsing device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. The features as herein disclosed, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.