Hair color tiers

A system of dyeing human hair is disclosed which is performed by layering the hair in tiers and selectively dyeing each layer. The tiers are annular elipsoids whose major and minor axes are in the same ratio and are fabricated in sets of ascending size. Each tier has disposed along its inner circumference, evenly spaced comb tooth-like projections.

CROSS-REFERENCE 
There are no cross-references to nor are there any related applications. 
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RIGHTS 
The invention herein was made without any Federal sponsorship or 
contribution. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. The Field of the Invention 
The field of the invention relates generally to beauty products and 
particularly to an improved method of human hair coloring by a hair 
stylist and a device which facilitates said coloring. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art is best demonstrated by U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,048 to LeDonne 
showing table-like layers or tiers to fit over the head as a hair cutting 
guide but are not suitable for the present invention's purposes. The tabs 
(See nos. 23-26) incorporate a refinement for measurement of the hair for 
cutting but serve no other function nor can they. An older treatment of 
problems created by hair dyeing is likewise addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 
2,347,587 to Wiles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,009 to Sirmons shows a skull cap 
arrangement useful in hair frosting, or the selective coloring of 
groupings or hanks of hair to be rendered in identical color. 
The balance of the art (as demonstrated, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
1,593,042 to Streuli, 1,806,155 to Farrelly, 1,858,331 to Hughes, 
2,136,039 to Clancy, 2,226,956 to Womack, 2,327,678 and 2,447,215 both to 
Stovall, 2,447,776 to Sherwood, 2,599,152 to Bartfay, 3,319,262 to Lee, 
3,611,442 to Yazari, and 4,441,214 to Werner), all deal with single tiers, 
brims or dams and the like, the essential purpose of which is to protect 
the face and ears during shampooing or hair drying and setting wherein a 
stream of hot air is directed against the head. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,152 to Bartfay shows a single annular brim which is 
split for adjustment and fitted with elastic material on its inner margin 
to prevent seepage of liquid applied to the hair for setting. The 
construction and purpose does not permit utilization of more than one (1) 
layer and the configuration disclosed is not adaptable to nor does it 
teach toward the coloring technique utilizing multiple layers of tiers 
disclosed herein. The shield of U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,214 to Werner 
discloses an enclosed system for application of liquids to hair for 
various purposes and is not suitable for the purposes set forth in this 
present invention since it does not permit selective dyeing. 
None of the foregoing prior art incorporates the novel features of the 
present invention nor do they accomplish the same purpose. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Heretofore, the dyeing of hair was a skill which required the extensive 
training of a hair stylist to create a natural look to the client's hair. 
A uniform color is both unnatural looking and general deemed 
unfashionable. The ability, for example, to duplicate the effect of 
sunlight wherein a lighter color exists at the very top of the head and 
shades off to darker hues as the hair lengthens, is difficult to learn and 
takes years of practice to duplicate. 
Also, the accomplished hair stylist is limited by the random growth of hair 
in the coloring thereof to create new and acceptable color effects. The 
present invention provides great flexibility and creativity to the stylist 
who needs a minimum of training and skill to practice the invention. 
The process of the invention described herein is summarized by a hair 
stylist installing on a human head commencing with the lower most portion 
of the hair to be dyed, new and novel annular elipsoidal shaped tiers or 
masks made from sheets of a flexible, but somewhat rigid material such as 
low density polyethylene, each tier a defined distance apart in ascending 
order, each successive tier being smaller but no greater than equal to the 
previous one. 
The product of the invention is a planar elipsoidal annular tier which has 
formed along its inner circumference, evenly spaced, a multiplicity of 
comb tooth-like projections directed inward toward the center of the tier 
to hold the tier in place by a comb effect against the scalp. The tiers 
are used in sets in ascending order on the head but in descending size. 
Each is constructed by using the same mathematical ratio of minor to major 
axis. Typically a ratio of 0.885 elipticity of the inner circumference has 
proven satisfactory for proper fit. 
Selective dyeing takes place layer by layer to enable the stylist to vary 
the shades of color so as to create a natural effect or to create a 
different color in any layer. 
An object of the invention is to provide a simple system of hair dyeing 
which minimizes the skill of the stylist but which yields a most natural 
look to the dyed hair when the process is completed than by current 
methods of free hand application of the dyeing paste. 
A further object of the invention is to eliminate intermixing of dyeing 
pastes of different color when applied to different layers of hair. 
A further object of the invention is to provide means by which novel color 
effects can be created in the dyeing of hair, or relaxing or straightening 
the same. 
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be 
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken 
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
a. The Product 
The preferred embodiment is described as comprising a set of tiers of 
different sizes, each of planar elipsoidal annular shape (10), made from a 
sheet of plastic material whose characteristics are flexibility with some 
rigidity. Substances such as low density polyethylene approximately 0.060 
inches thick, provide satisfactory results in construction and use. An 
elipticity of the inner circumference with a ratio of 0.880 minor to major 
axis provides a proper fit. 
Each tier has disposed evenly spaced along its inner circumference (12) 
comb tooth-like projections (14) of a defined length which are designed to 
engage the hair (16) near the scalp (17) by bending upward curvilinearly 
(18) and flixing to follow the scalp to hold the tier firmly in any 
location selected by the stylist as the tier is brought downward on the 
head as far as its inner circumference will permit (20). The tiers are 
placed on the head successively in an array in ascending order (21) but in 
at maximally equal or preferably descending circumference to create a 
multi-layered hair dyeing surface. 
b. The Process 
The process is best described as a series of steps. The first step is 
installing on a human head a first tier of a large size from a set of 
tiers made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the product 
herein such that the major axis of the tier is in line with the centermost 
vertical plane of the head (See FIG. 3) nasocranially and such that the 
tier is lowered in snug contact with the head to a line coincident to 
approximately the hair line (24). Next the stylist installs on the head in 
identical alignment a second next largest tier (26) (or one which is in 
its inner circumference no greater than the first) a defined distance from 
the first tier thereby creating a layer of hair. Thereafter the stylist 
repeats the second step with additional successively smaller tiers (28, 
30) as required thereby creating a multiplicity of hair layers until the 
head has installed thereon a sufficient number of tiers and layers as 
determined by the stylist. 
Although the stylist may vary the time at which dye is applied in any one 
layer, the stylist preferably commences coloring the lowermost layer of 
hair by applying thereto a dye paste mixture with a defined dyeing time 
and of a color shade selected or mixed by the stylist. Thereafter the 
content of the dye paste mixture may be altered to create a different 
shade or color to the next lowermost layer of hair from that previously 
applied. This process is repeated until all the layers have applied 
thereto dye paste mixtures. After waiting the defined dyeing time the hair 
is rinsed and the tiers removed by flexing them upwardly thereby 
disengaging the teeth (see FIG. 4). This is done in descending order 
whereupon the hair is combed, dried and set by the stylist in accordance 
with practices well known in the prior art. 
Since modifications, variations and changes in detail may be made to the 
presently described embodiments, it is intended that all matter in the 
foregoing description and accompanying drawings be interpreted as 
illustrative and not by way of limitation.