HAIR CLIP

Description

[0001] This invention relates to clips for use by hairdressers when colouring hair, eg highlighting or low lighting discrete strands of hair.

[0002] Presently a perforated cap is often used by hairdressers when adding high and/or low lights to a client's hair. In use, strands of hair to be coloured are pulled through the perforations of the cap and subsequently coated with colorant, eg a tinting or bleaching medium. These perforated caps suffer from a number of disadvantages these including in time, an inability to prevent tinting or bleaching medium passing through the caps perforations so discolouring hair sections not intended to be treated. Also, these caps tend to be uncomfortable and because the positions of the perforations are preset, it is often the case that exact colouring of required strands cannot be effected.

[0003] It is also known for hairdressers to coat discrete hair strands with a tinting or bleaching medium and to wrap these coated hair strands in pieces of metallic foil in an attempt to prevent the tinting or bleaching medium affecting adjoining hair strands. In use however the foil wraps tend not to stay in place so causing unwanted discolouring to occur.

[0004] US-PS-3692032 discloses a hairdressing appliance which includes two elongate jaw members connected at one end for pivotal movement to open and close the jaw members. The jaws can be releasably connected together and fastening means extend lengthwise along at least one of the jaws. A trough-shaped hair isolating means in the form of a liquid impermeable sheet is connected to one of the jaw members, its sides being releasbly closed to define an envelope for hair strands to be treated.

[0005] The present invention sets out to provide a clip for use by hairdressers when high lighting or low lighting discrete hair strands which avoids possible leaking of tint or bleach to the hair roots.

[0006] According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided a clip for use when colouring discrete hair strands which comprises two elongate gripper members joined by a hinge and including at their free ends means for selectively connecting one gripper member to the other, the clip being characterised in that each gripper member carries a separate strip of flexible impervious material.

[0007] The gripper members are preferably produced from a plastics material, the hinge comprising a resilient plastics strip joining one gripper member to the other.

[0008] The end of one gripper member remote from the hinge may be formed with an opening through which an extension piece of the other gripper member can pass, the extension piece including a protrusion which flexes to enable the extension piece to pass through the opening and which seats behind the boundary of the opening to connect one gripper member to the other. The impervious material may comprise polyethylene or like material.

[0009] In another aspect there is provided a method of colouring discrete strands of hair, the method comprising the steps of retaining strands of hair to be coloured between separable elongate gripper members of a clip, laying these hair strands on a length of impermeable material connected to one of the gripper members, applying a colouring medium to the retained hair strands and covering the coated strands with a second length of impermeable material connected to the other gripper member, the method being characterised in that the length of impermeable material connected to one gripper member is separate from that connected to the other gripper member.

[0010] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing in which:-

Figures 1 and 2 respectively are plan views of a clip in accordance with the invention in its open and closed positions;

Figures 3 and 4 are side and plan views from above of an alternative clip in accordance with the invention in its open configuration;

Figure 5 is a side view of the clip shown in Figures 3 and 4 in its closed position; and

Figure 6 is a section taken along line VI-VI of Figure 5.

[0011] The illustrated clip may be produced from a plastics or metallic material and comprises elongate gripper members 1, 2 joined together by a thin strip which defines a hinge 3 about which the members 1, 2 can move. Each gripper member has a generally parallel sided shank 4 and is formed at its free end with one half of a clasp 5 by means of which the gripper member can selectively be attached one to the other. As shown the free end of gripper member 2 is formed with an opening 6 through which an inwardly extending head 7 carried by the gripper member 1 can pass. The head 7 is formed with a resilient protrusion 8 which flexes to enable the head 7 to pass through the opening 6 to seat behind the boundary of the opening to attach the gripper members together.

[0012] It will be appreciated that other clasp arrangements and hinges can be employed. Thus the free end of each gripper member may be indented in a complementary sense to enable one to lie closely adjacent the other, means being provided to retain the free ends of the gripper members in place. For example a separable resilient band or the like may be provided which slides over the free ends of the gripper members when they are in their closed positions.

[0013] Also a simple hinge retained together by a pin or screw may be employed. If the gripper members are produced from a metallic material, they may be suitably coated with a resilient or covering material.

[0014] Carried by each shank 4 of the gripper members 1, 2 is a length 9 of impervious flexible material, eg of polyethylene or like material. As illustrated each material length 9 is formed at one end with a sleeve 10 into which the shanks 4 of the gripper members can slide. Other means of attaching the material sheets to the gripper members may be provided. Also, alternative materials other than polyethylene can be employed. Each length of impervious material is selected to be at least equal to lengths of hair likely to be treated. These lengths may vary depending on the length of a client's hair or the particular hair sections to be treated. Typically two lengths of material are provided these being 150 mm by 65 mm and 120 mm by 65 mm.

[0015] The width of each gripper member is as small as possible to reduce the amount of hair covered thereby without detracting from the required strength characteristics of the clip itself.

[0016] Turning now to Figures 3 to 6 of the drawings (in which like integers to those illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numerals), the gripper member 1 includes an upstanding wall 12 which locates within a groove 14 of the gripper member 2. The wall 12 is tapered in cross section and, as shown in Figure 6, defines a relatively snug fit in the groove 14. The upper surfaces of 15, 16 of the gripper members 1, 2 are slightly concave to assist handling and closing of the clip when in use. A nib 17 is provided on the free end of gripper member 2 to assist opening of the clip.

[0017] As for the clip shown in Figures 1 and 2, sleeved lengths of impervious material are positioned over the shanks of the gripper members in use.

[0018] In use strands of hair to be coloured are positioned between the gripper members 1, 2 with one material length 9 on each side of the clip. The members 1, 2 are then clipped together by the clasp such that the selected hair strands are held firmly in place and are effectively sandwiched between the lengths of material 7. The clip is position so that it lies as close as possible to the client's head. In the embodiment of Figures 3 to 6, the hair is retained firmly in place between the end of the wall 12 and the interior of the groove 14.

[0019] Other clips are similarly positioned until all hair strands to be coloured (eg high lighted or low lighted) are retained between the gripper members of the clips used. Colorant (eg tint or bleach) is then applied to each group of trapped hair strands, the polyethylene strips 9 being superimposed and held in place by the colorant employed. The clasps of the clips firmly grip the hair strands thereby preventing egress of colorant between the gripper members 1, 2.

[0020] It will be understood from the foregoing that the clips described prevent colorant, eg tinting or bleaching medium, reaching hair sections not to be treated. Also, the clips allow, if appropriate, the colouring of all selected hair strands to be carried out continuously in one operation thereby enabling the areas to be coloured to be checked with the client or a supervisor before the colorant is applied. Further, the overall processing time for the applied colorant is reduced. It is also possible using clips in accordance with the present invention to apply different colours or shades of colours to individual hair strands so that their colour changes from one end to the other. This is achieved simply to spacing individual clips along the lengths of discrete strands and applying different colours/shades between the spaced clips.

[0021] It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of clips in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A clip for use when colouring discrete hair strands which comprises two elongate gripper members (1,2) joined by a hinge (3) and including at their free ends (5) means for selectively connecting one gripper member to the other, the clip being characterised in that each gripper member (1,2) carries a separate strip of flexible impervious material (9).

2. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the gripper members (1,2) are produced from a plastics material, the hinge (3) comprising a resilient plastics strip joining one gripper member to the other.

3. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the end of one gripper member (2) remote from the hinge (3) is formed with an opening (6) through which an extension piece (7) of the other gripper member (1) can pass, the extension piece (7) including a protrusion (8) which flexes to enable the extension piece (7) to pass through the opening (6) and which seats behind the boundary of the opening to connect one gripper member to the other.

4. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 characterised in that one gripper member (1) is formed with an upstanding wall (12) which, in use, locates within a groove (14) formed in the other gripper member (2).

5. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the impervious material comprises polyethylene.

6. A method of colouring discrete strands of hair, the method comprising the steps of retaining strands of hair to be coloured between separable elongate gripper members of a clip connected together by a hinge, laying these hair strands on a length of impermeable material connected to one of the gripper members, applying a colouring medium to the retained hair strands and covering the coated strands with a second length of impermeable material connected to the other gripper member, the method being characterised in that the length of impermeable material connected to one gripper member is separate from that connected to the other gripper member.

Ansprüche

1. Haarclip zur Benutzung beim Einfärben diskreter Haarsträhnen, der zwei längliche Klemmschenkel (1, 2) aufweist, die durch ein Gelenk (3) verbunden sind und an ihren freien Enden (5) Mittel aufweisen, um selektiv einen Klemmschenkel mit dem anderen zu verbinden,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß jeder Klemmschenkel (1, 2) einen eigenen Streifen aus flexiblem, undurchlässigem Material (9) trägt.

2. Haarclip nach Anspruch 1,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Klemmschenkel (1, 2) aus einem Plastikmaterial hergestellt sind und daß das Gelenk (3) aus einem elastischen Plastikband besteht, das einen Klemmschenkel mit dem anderen verbindet.

3. Haarclip nach den Ansprüchen 1 oder 2,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das vom Gelenk (3) abgewandte Ende eines Klemmschenkels (2) mit einer Öffnung (6) ausgestattet ist, durch die ein Fortsatzstück (7) des anderen Klemmschenkels (1) hindurchtreten kann, wobei das Fortsatzstück (7) einen Ansatz (8) aufweist, der abbiegbar ist, um das Fortsatzstück (7) durch die Öffnung (6) einzuführen und der hinter der Begrenzung der Öffnung zu liegen kommt, um den einen Klemmschenkel mit dem anderen zu verbinden.

4. Haarclip nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der eine Klemmschenkel (1) mit einer vorstehenden Leiste (12) versehen ist, die im Gebrauch in einer Nut (14) zu liegen kommt, die in dem anderen Klemmschenkel (2) ausgebildet ist.

5. Haarclip nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das undurchlässige Material Polyäthylen ist.

6. Verfahren zum Einfärben diskreter Haarsträhnen, welches die folgenden Schritte umfaßt: es werden die zu färbenden Haarsträhnen zwischen trennbare, längliche Klemmschenkel eines Clips eingelegt, die durch ein Gelenk verbunden sind; es werden diese Haarsträhnen auf einer Länge eines undurchlässigen Materials ausgelegt, das mit einem der Klemmschenkel verbunden ist; es wird ein Färbemittel auf den ausgelegten Haarsträhnen aufgebracht; es werden die überzogenen Strähnen mit einer zweiten Länge aus undurchlässigem Material bedeckt, die am anderen Klemmschenkel befestigt ist, wobei das Verfahren dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, daß die Länge aus undurchlässigem Material, die mit einem Klemmschenkel verbunden ist, von jener Länge getrennt ist, die mit dem anderen Klemmschenkel verbunden ist.

Revendications

1. Pince destinée à être utilisée lors de la coloration de mèches ou tresses de cheveux séparées, comprenant deux éléments de serrage (1, 2) allongés reliés par une articulation (3) et comportant à leurs extrémités libres (5) des moyens pour attacher sélectivement un élément de serrage à l'autre, la pince étant caractérisée en ce que chaque élément de serrage (1, 2) porte une bande séparée de matière imperméable souple (9).

2. Pince selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que les éléments de serrage (1, 2) sont constitués à partir d'une matière plastique, l'articulation (3) comprenant une bande plastique élastique reliant un élément de serrage à l'autre.

3. Pince selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que l'extrémité d'un élément de serrage (2) éloignée de l'articulation (3) comporte une ouverture (6) à travers laquelle une partie en saillie (7) de l'autre élément de serrage (1) peut passer, la partie en saillie (7) comportant une proéminence (8) qui fléchit pour permettre à la partie en saillie (7) de passer à travers l'ouverture (6) et qui porte contre le bord de l'ouverture pour connecter un élément de serrage à l'autre.

4. Pince selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisée en ce qu'un élément de serrage (1) comporte une cloison en élévation (12) qui, lors de l'utilisation, se loge à l'intérieur d'une rainure (14) constituée dans l'autre élément de serrage (2).

5. Pince selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce que la matière imperméable comprend du polyéthylène.

6. Procédé de coloration de mèches ou tresses séparées de cheveux, ce procédé comprenant les étapes consistant à retenir des mèches ou tresses de cheveux à colorer entre des éléments de serrage allongés séparables d'une pince reliés ensemble par une articulation, étendre ces mèches ou tresses de cheveux sur une longueur de matière imperméable reliée à l'un des éléments de serrage, appliquer un moyen de colorstion aux mèches ou tresses de cheveux retenues et couvrir les mèches ou tresses revêtues avec une deuxième longueur de matière imperméable reliée à l'autre élément de serrage, le procédé étant caractérisé en ce que la longueur de matière imperméable reliée à un élément de serrage est séparée de celle reliée à l'autre élément de serrage.

Drawing