Hair masking sheet

Abstract

 An elongate hair masking sheet (10) of plastics film material for masking first portions of strands of hair of a head of hair from second portions of the strands while the second portions are subjected to chemical action comprises a slit (12) the longitudinal axis of which extends transversely of a longitudinal axis (11) of the sheet (10) and a profile (15) extending adjacent and parallel to the slit (12), the profile providing formations (13, 14) beyond opposite ends of the slit (12) to prevent the slit (12) propagating when the sheet (10) is subject to opposite forces (A,B) along the longitudinal axis (11) thereof.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a hair masking sheet for masking first portions of strands of selected hair of a head of hair from second portions of the strands while the second portions are subjected to chemical action.

[0002] It is known to use hair masking sheets in the process of root perming. The process is carried out by winding on a perm roller first portions of strands of selected hair of a head of hair and wrapping a masking sheet around the roller so as to envelop the said first portions and then winding the remaining second portions of the strands onto the roller. The assembly is then pinned into position adjacent a scalp of the head. The process is repeated with further selected strands of hair and further rollers and masking sheets. The head of hair is then subjected to action of perming liquid and, when complete, the rollers and masking sheets are removed.

[0003] A disadvantage of the methods of root perming known hitherto is that they are time consuming in that the application of masking sheets requires accurate positioning; they are unprofessional in that they do not provide for a standardised method of operation; and, because of the amount of masking sheet material used, when a masking sheet is wound on a roller the assembly is extremely bulky and difficult to secure in a satisfactory manner.

[0004] The invention is characterised in that there is provided a hair masking sheet which is elongate and is provided with an opening intermediate end portions thereof so that, when strands of selected hair extend through the opening and the sheet is moved longitudinally of the strands to a selected location relative to the strands and envelops the first portions of the strands rolled down to the location, the second portions of the strands remain exposed to be subjected to chemical action.

[0005] If root perming of a head of hair is carried out using hair masking sheets in accordance with the present invention, the process may be carried out at considerably greater speed than if the process were to be carried out with hair masking sheets known hitherto; the process would be more professional than hitherto in that the hair masking sheets in accordance with the present invention all have the same features; and, since material of a hair masking sheet in accordance with the invention is considerably reduced compared with hair masking sheets known hitherto, the bulk of material on a roller when carrying a hair masking sheet in accordance with the present invention is greatly reduced compared with hair masking sheets known hitherto resulting in greater accuracy when choosing roller size.

[0006] Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of one method of carrying the invention into effect.

[0007] In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a hair masking sheet in accordance with the present invention, and

Figures 2 to 8 are diagrammatic representations indicating steps in carrying out a method of root perming using the sheet shown in Figure 1.

[0008] Referring to the drawings, there is shown an elongate rectangular sheet of transparent plastics film material 10 arranged such that tear propagation of the material of the sheet is in a direction substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis 11 of the sheet. The expression 'tear propagation' means a direction in which the sheet will tear easily, when subjected to a force, due to orientation of molecules constituting the material. The sheet 10 is provided with a rectilinear slit 12 extending transversely of the longitudinal axis 11 and substantially midway between opposite end portions of the sheet 10, opposite ends of the slit 12 being spaced inwardly from corresponding adjacent margins of the sheet 10 as shown at 13 and 14. The sheet 10 also is provided with a seam 15 extending adjacent the slit 12 from one marginal edge of the sheet 10 to the opposite marginal edge of the sheet 10 and transverse to the longitudinal axis 11. In effect, the sheet 10 is simultaneously provided with the slit 12 and the seam 15 by a heating tool which also incorporates a knife whereby, on application of the tool, the sheet 10 is heated locally to provide the seam 15 and simultaneously is cut by the knife of the tool to provide the slit 12.

[0009] Prior to use, the sheet 10 is pulled in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows A and B in Figure 1, thereby widening the slit 12 as shown in Figure 1.

[0010] Referring now to Figures 2 to 8 of the drawings, strands 16 of selected hair extending from a scalp 17 of a head 18 are threaded through the slit 12 of the sheet 10, as shown in Figure 2, and the sheet is then moved downwardly of the strands 16 and left to rest near the scalp 17, as shown in Figure 3. Portions of the strands 16 to be protected from a perm solution are then wound down on a perm roller 19 to a position determined by a permist such that only the portions of the strands 16 which are to be subjected to chemical action of the perm solution are left unwound, as shown in Figure 4.

[0011] The sheet 10 is then moved upwardly from the scalp 17 towards the perm roller 19 and an end portion of the sheet 10, as indicated by the arrow C in Figure 5, is brought up to the perm roller 19 and wound down with the roller as far as the slit 12 in the sheet 10. This operation ensures that the portions of the strands 16 which have already been wound on to the roller are covered and protected by a portion of the sheet 10. The next stage is to wrap the remaining portion, indicated by the arrow D in Figure 6, of the sheet 10 which extends below the perm roller 19 over the roller 19 and downwardly thereof so as to extend adjacent the unwound portions of the strands 16, as shown in Figure 7. This operation further encapsulates the already wound portions of the strands 16 on the roller 19. The roller 19 is then wound down to the scalp 17, as shown in Figure 8. This procedure ensures that the portion of the sheet 10 indicated by the arrow D in Figures 6 and 7 is incorporated in the windings on the roller 19 to provide further protection for the portions of the strands 16 which are to be masked from the perm solution while exposing the portions of the strands 16 which are to be subjected to chemical action of the solution, this being possible because the portions of the strands 16 to be permed are presented on the outside of the roller while the remaining portions of the strands 16 are enveloped within the sheet 10 and insulated from the perm solution.

[0012] It will be appreciated that, since the slit 12 extends in a direction transverse to the tear propagation of the material of the sheet 10, the sheet 10 will not readily tear at opposite ends of the slit 12. Therefore, the act of pulling the sheet 10 in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows A and B in Figure 1, will not have the effect of tearing the material of the sheet 10.

[0013] It will also be appreciated that the presence of the seam 15 provides additional security against tearing of the material of the sheet 10 beyond the opposite ends of the slit; provides a stiffening effect along a margin of the slit 12 which assists in threading strands of hair 16 through the slit 12; and provides an indication of the location of the slit 12.

Claims

1. A hair masking sheet (10) for masking first portions of strands (16) of hair of a head of hair from second portions of the strands (16) while the second portions are subjected to chemical action characterised in that the sheet (10) is elongate and is provided with an opening (12) intermediate end portions thereof so that, when the strands (16) extend through the opening (12) and the sheet (10) is moved longitudinally of the strands (16) to a selected location relative to the strands (16) and envelops the first portions of the strands (16) rolled down to the location, the second portions of the strands (16) remain exposed to the chemical action.

2. A sheet as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that tear propagation of the sheet (10) is in a longitudinal direction (A,B) of the sheet (10) and the opening (12) extends in a direction transverse to the said longitudinal direction (A,B).

3. A sheet as claimed in Claim 2 charcterised in that the sheet (10) is of plastics film material.

4. A sheet as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that the material is provided with a seam (15) extending in a direction transverse to the said longitudinal direction (A,B) and adjacent the opening (12).

5. A sheet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the opening (12) is a rectilinear cut in the sheet (10).

Drawing