Aerated fabric tape for the production of self-adhering hair-curlers and hair-curlers produced from such tape

An aerated fabric tape is provided for the production of self-adhering, flexible hair-curlers, of a type comprising primary and secondary groups of warp threads. The warp threads are joined to one another by weft threads which connect the groups of warp threads. Each of the primary groups of warp threads is separated from the next group by a distance of from 2 to 10 mm, the weft threads being configured so as to allow the groups of warp threads to approach each other or to separate when the tape is subjected to transverse flexing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an aerated fabric tape for the production 
of flexible self-adhering hair-curlers and, in particular, a tape with 
intrinsic partial flexibility which can be wound around a cylindrical 
support element, or which can fixed directly to a reinforcing element so 
that a hair-curler can be obtained without any other support element. 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
Various types of fabric tape are used at present for the production of 
flexible hair-curlers which have a filament-like means of retaining and 
setting the hair. These known types of tape are not intrinsically 
flexible. It is possible to obtain flexible hair-curlers with such tapes 
only if the tape is applied in a particular way to a cylindrical support, 
e.g. in a helical configuration. An example of a hair-curler using this 
technique of the prior art is illustrated in a previous patent in the name 
of the Applicant. However, the curler described in the said patent was not 
produced on an industrial scale because of the high costs and technical 
difficulties of production. 
Other reinforced aerated fabric tapes are known from another patent 
application in the name of the Applicant for the direct production of 
hair-curlers without further tubular support. A portion of the reinforced 
tape is folded and fixed along a pair of opposite edges to form the 
curler. Various drawbacks have arisen in the application of the 
reinforcing element by gluing, by welding or by means of other known 
techniques with the result that the tape and the reinforcing element do 
not adhere to each other and tend to separate. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned 
drawbacks. 
One object of the present invention within the scope of the said aim is to 
produce an aerated fabric tape from which self-adhering hair-curlers can 
be produced both simply and economically. 
Another object of the present invention is to produce an aerated fabric 
tape from which self-adhering hair-curlers can be produced which have 
intrinsic flexibility and can be used in the longitudinal direction to 
produce flexible self-adhering hair-curlers. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to produce an aerated fabric 
tape from which self-adhering hair-curlers can be produced which allow 
good aeration of the hair while maintaining a good degree of adhesion to 
the same hair. 
A further object of the present invention is to produce an aerated fabric 
tape from which self-adhering hair-curlers can be produced which are light 
and substantially transparent. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These objects are achieved by the present invention which relates to an 
aerated fabric tape for the production of flexible self-adhering 
hair-curlers of a type comprising primary and secondary groups of warp 
threads carrying filament-like elements to hold and set the hair and by 
weft threads connecting the groups of warp threads, characterized by each 
group of primary warp threads being separated from the next group of warp 
threads by a length from 2 to 10 mm, and the weft threads between the 
primary groups of warp threads and the next secondary groups of warp 
threads being so structured and/or connected that there is mutual movement 
together or apart of the primary and secondary groups of warp threads when 
the tape is subjected to transverse flexing. 
A single tape thus constructed could be used to fabricate hair-curlers of 
any size. The layout of the warp and weft threads confers substantial 
transparency on the tape, so as to allow different coloured support or 
reinforcing elements to be used to produce hair-curlers of different 
diameter. Different diameter hair-curlers are already identified by 
different colours. 
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the warp 
threads and/or the groups of the warp threads have different colours each 
other, which adapt to different coloured support bodies. This allows the 
production of hair-curlers to be simplified and reduces the costs of 
production and storage. 
A tape is obtained which is flexible mainly in the side areas and thus 
adapts itself to the shape assumed by the hair-curler when the latter is 
applied. 
The thinning of the means of holding and setting the hair allows 
advantageously greater aeration through the tape and assists the freeing 
of the curler from the hair, especially long hair. 
According to a preferred embodiment, the groups of secondary warp threads 
are laid in the center of the tape with the groups closely grouped, and 
the groups of primary warp threads are laid between the secondary groups 
and the edges of the tape. 
The weft threads are very thin and are laid parallel, crossing or overlaid, 
or otherwise the weft consist of loops which move with respect to the warp 
groups and/or are interlocked and move with respect to each other. 
The weft may be laid in other configurations e.g. zig-zag or with 
particular patterns such as that obtained with a crochet loom, provided 
that the primary groups of warp threads can come together or separate 
reciprocally when the tape is subjected to transverse flexing. The weft 
threads can be rendered flexible by using elastic material or a material 
which is made elastic by special treatment by heat, chemicals or other 
means. 
According to an embodiment of the invention, the filament-like elements 
associated with the primary and/or secondary groups of warp threads are 
pairs of filament-like elements at least one of the two elements of which 
is curved or has a curved portion towards the free end. In the case where 
both elements of each pair are curved or have a curved outer portion, the 
curvature may be converging or diverging. 
The filament-like elements which protrude from the second group of warp 
threads consist of a pairs of filament-like elements preferably straight 
and provided with a small bulge or a curved portion at their free end. 
According to another embodiment of the invention, the filament-like 
elements to hold and set the hair gradually increase in length from the 
center to the edge of the tape. 
The tape according to the invention may be reinforced stably for the direct 
production of hair-curlers without further tubular support. To anchor the 
plastic reinforcing stably, during weaving of the tape, small projections 
in the form of loops, curls, mushroom heads or similar shapes are raised 
on the part opposite that from which project the means of holding and 
setting the hair. The reinforcing material is preferably plastic, 
pre-coloured and applied in such a way as to give a geometric pattern. 
According to a further embodiment, there are provided reinforcing elements 
consisting of small plates of plastic material incorporated into one or 
more lines of the weft during the weaving of the tape. 
The invention further relates to a hair-curler obtained by using an aerated 
fabric tape as described above.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows a portion of the aerated fabric tape comprising a weft 8 of 
very fine transparent thread, groups of warp threads 9 and 11 included 
within a pair of edges 7 of the tape. 
The group of warp threads 11, laid longitudinally in the central part of 
the tape, have filament-like projections 12 having a small bulge or a 
portion curved into a hook on their free end. The group of warp threads 9, 
laid laterally to the group 11, have instead pairs of filamentlike 
elements 10 curved towards each other at their free end. 
The group of warp threads 9 are separated by a length from 2 to 10 mm. The 
filament-like elements 12 serve as a means of combing and hold the lock of 
hair as required in professional use, ensuring optimum adhesion of the 
hair to the hair-curler even from the start of rolling. 
The filament-like elements are closer together in the center and more 
widely separated towards the edges of the tape. One of the advantages of 
this layout is that the closer together filament-like elements in the 
center ensure optimum adhesion of the hair to the hair-curler even from 
the start of rolling. 
Due to the structure of the thin and transparent weft threads 8 and to the 
spatial arrangement of the warp threads 9, the tape is flexible and 
therefore the hair-curler, once the tape has been applied to a flexible 
tubular support, it adapts to the shape of the head. 
FIG. 2 shows a flexible tubular body 14 about which is wound a portion of 
the tape according to a possible embodiment. The groups of warp threads 9 
are connected together by loops which run with respect to the same groups 
of warp threads, thus allowing the same groups of warp threads to approach 
or separate and conferring the required degree of flexibility to the edges 
of the tape. 
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the weft threads 8 can be used to form 
interlocking loops 20 which move along the chain 21 and connect the groups 
of warp threads 9 and 11. 
FIG. 3 shows a form of embodiment of the tape in which the filament-like 
elements 15, curved at their free end, gradually increase in length as the 
edge 7 of the tape is reached. In this case, the filament-like elements 15 
which hold and set the hair enable the hair-curler to fit more closely to 
the head thus improving the set characteristics. 
FIG. 4 shows a section of tape in which under the groups of warp threads 9 
and part of the groups of warp threads 11, there are loop-shaped 
filament-like anchor elements 16 which serve to fix a plastic material 
securely, for the purpose of reinforcing the tape to make it suitable for 
the direct production of the hair-curler without further tubular support. 
Furthermore, the pairs of filament-like elements 17 which project from the 
groups of warp threads 9 and 11 to hold and set the hair consist of an 
element shaped like a pin and an element whose free end is curved. 
FIG. 5 shows a further form of embodiment of the tape, in which the pairs 
of filament-like elements 18 which project from the groups of warp threads 
9 diverge and those pairs of filament-like elements 19 which project from 
the groups of warp threads 11 are in the form of pins.