Hair iron for straight-perming hair and method using the same

Abstract: A hair iron designed to be used in straight-perming hair, especially frizzled hair, comprises a grip part (4) and pressing members (2, 3). Opposing surfaces of the pressing members (2, 3) for clasping and pressing the hair have uneven faces which match each other, The uneven faces may cover the entire opposing sufaces of the pressing members or only parts of them. The uneven faces give relatively large pressure on the hair. Repeated pressing and releasing of the hair while shifting the iron little by little along the hair from the root to the tip causes each section of the hair to be pressed in multiple directions so as to be deformed into a tiny waveform. Combining this repetition with conventonal treatment with perming lotion and with separate operation(s) of sliding of the hair iron frictionally on the hair from the root to tip to stretch the hair, makes the hair appear tidily straight.

Description: The present invention relates to a hair iron for straight-perming hair, especially frizzled hair, which is suitable to be used at a barbershop, a beauty salon or the like, and also a method of straight-perming hair using such a hair iron. As conventional hair irons, an iron for pressing down hair which stands up and an iron for curling hair have, for example, been known. However, there is little art or tools for straightening frizzled hair tidily. For straightening hair by cold perming, a method of adhering hair to a straight panel has been known. In this method, frizzled hair is stretched and adhered to the panel and then treated with a perming lotion. However, the finished hair is not neatly straight. Hair is neither curled nor waved into the same shape as a rod or other tool used in perming. The shape assumed by the waved or curled hair is many times more moderate or gentle than the shape of the rod or other tool. For example, if hair is rolled on a rod of 1 cm in diameter and permed in cold perming, the finish is not in the same shape as the rod of 1 cm in diameter, but about two to four times more moderate than the shape as the rod. There is a type of hair iron with which hair is permed after being treated with a chemical solution in the same manner as in conventional cold perming. Even if hair is permed with this type of hair iron and the rod member of the hair iron is 1 cm in diameter, the hair cannot be formed into the same shape as the rod member, but has a curl which is two to four times more moderate than the shape of the rod member. Additionally, another type of hair iron for styling hairdos has been known and this hair iron has opposing wavy parts between which hair is clasped, but this is a hair iron only for styling hairdos, not for perming hair by the use of chemical solutions. In the conventional art of straightening frizzled hair, close attention is always paid to stretching frizzled hair. In the art of straight perm wherein hair is stretched, adhered to a straight flat panel and then treated with a perming lotion, hair is not permed into a form exactly according to the shape of the tool (the panel), i.e. the hair is not straightened according to the shape of the flat panel. Recently another type of hair iron has been brought into the market. This hair iron has a right-angled step in the opposing parts for clasping hair, by which frizzled hair is bent to be straightened. By the method using this type of iron, frizzled hair comes to look straight as a whole, but bending hair at the corner damages hair and makes it rugged. Also, if the temperature of the hair iron is too low, the hair is not bent at the corner and does not become straight in appearance, while if the temperature is too high, the hair is terribly damaged. A similar hair iron for use in straightening curly hair is disclosed in EP-A-0273538. In this iron, however, the respective opposing faces of the opposing parts are shaped one with two spaced apart projections and the other with triangular or semicircular teeth, so that when clasped between the opposing parts, hair is bent into a U- or V-shape while being stretched by drawing the iron along the hair. Another hair iron for use in the curling or straightening hair is known from FR-A-2381488. In this device both of the opposing faces of the opposing parts which clasp the hair have a matching sinusoidal-like profile. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a hair iron which overcomes the above shortcomings and straightens hair tidily and satisfactorily. The applicant has been engaged in the hairdressing business for many years, but there had been no reliable art or tools for straightening frizzled hair. While trying to overcome the above problems, the applicant applied corrugation on opposing flat clasping faces of a conventional hair iron and permed hair with it, and noticed that this iron could exert greater pressure on the hair. As a result, the present invention was made. The hair iron and method according to the invention are as defined in claims 1 and 6, respectively, herein. In contrast to conventional straight perming wherein hair is stretched and adhered to a straight flat plate, in the present invention the hair iron is used to bend and press hair in multiple directions to achieve overall straightening. The hair iron has uneven faces on both the confronting surfaces of the members between which hair is clasped and pressed (hereinafter referred to as pressing members), and the confronting uneven faces are shaped to match each other. A heater is provided at least on one of the opposing faces, but it is preferable and more effective if both the faces of the pressing members have respective heaters. The pressing members may have uneven faces either on the entire opposing faces or on part of them only, with a slight clearance between the parts, other than the uneven faces, when the hair iron is closed. In order to straight-perm hair with the hair iron of the present invention, firstly the hair iron is closed near the root portion of (frizzled) hair to clasp it between the pressing members, and drawn to frictionally slide on the hair from the root to the tip. As a result, although only temporarily, the hair becomes roughly straight. Then the hair iron is closed tight again at the said root portion of the hair to clasp and press the hair by the pressing members, and subsequently opened. Then with its clasping position slightly shifted toward the tip of the hair, the iron is closed down tight again to clasp and press the hair by the pressing members, and then opened. In this way the iron is shifted little by little from the root to the tip of the hair. While being treated in this way repeatedly, the hair is warmed, and is pressed vertically and laterally in mulptile directions by the uneven faces of the pressing members. After having been pressed once, each section of the hair is clasped and pressed again, but by a slightly shifted different position of the pressing portions, so each section of the hair has another new more moderated shape than the pressing portions imparted thereto while slightly keeping the previously pressed shape. Being likewise treated from the root to the tip, the hair comes to have a repetition of a more moderate shape than the shape of the pressing members along its entire length. Another round of treatment from the root to the tip may be given to the hair, if necessary. Repetition of the above step means the hair is deformed many times, resulting in a fine waveform. Here, "fine" means that the wave is small both in wavelength and in wave width (amplitude). "Wave width" (amplitude) in this context denotes the distance between the crest and the bottom of the wave, In the final step using the hair iron, the hair is treated again as in the first step, that is, the hair is clasped at the root and the iron is slid down from there to the tip of the hair frictionally so that the hair is stretched and caused to have a waveform which is smaller in width and longer in length than before and becomes more straight. In using the hair iron of the present invention, the iron is repeatedly closed and opened and shifted in position with respect to the hair little by little in such a manner that each clasped area overlaps the former clasped area. Therefore, once clasped and pressed, each portion of the hair is clasped and pressed both vertically and laterally in multiple directions a further two, three, four, five or more times so that the hair no longer bends in any direction, thereby becoming rather straight. (In fact the hair has many tiny waves so it looks straight from a distance). Whether hair is frizzled or not, the hair iron of the present invention enables a wonderful tidy straight perm to be applied to it without damaging it. Practical examples of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view of a first embodiment of a hair iron used in the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partly magnified sectional view of the pressing members of the hair iron in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an overall perspective view of a second embodiment of a hair iron used in the present invention; Fig. 4 is a partly magnified sectional view of the pressing members of the hair iron in Fig. 3; and Figs. 5(a) to 5(h) are explanatory diagrams showing stepwise changes of one hair treated by pressing with the hair iron of the present invention. A first embodiment of the hair iron used in the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. As is clear from Fig. 1, this hair iron comprises a grip part or handles 4 and pressing members 2, 3. The opposing surfaces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3, are corrugated and match each other as shown in Fig. 2. A strand of hair 1 is clasped by the corrugated surfaces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3, as shown in Fig. 1. One method of straight-perming frizzled hair by use of this iron is now explained. As a first step, a conventional perming solution (the first solution) is applied to the hair. More specifically the hair is coated with the first perming solution and then covered with a cap. By warming it for about 10 minutes in a warming promoter, or by letting it stand for about 15 to 20 minutes at ambient temperature the chemical solution is allowed to permeate into the hair. Next, the chemical solution is washed away from the hair by warm water. After the water is wiped off with towel, the hair is further half dried by a hair dryer. At this stage, it may be desirable to coat the hair with a protective agent (oil or cream) so that the hair is less vulnerable to damage by the heat of the hair iron. Subsequently, using the hair iron described above frizzled hair is deformed to appear roughly straight. Since it is hard to use the hair iron on extremely frizzled hair, the following preliminary treatment may be given. The hair iron may be closed to clasp the root of a strand of hair between the corrugated surfaces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3, which should be sufficiently heated, and a comb placed in the hair in front of the hair iron (at the tip side), and then the hair iron and the comb may both be pulled and thereby slid slowly to the tip of the hair strand. The strand of frizzled hair is thus combed and warmed by the heat of the hair iron at the same time, so that it is stretched. At this stage, the frizzled hair becomes temperarily and roughly straight. If the hair does not become straight enough at this point, the same operation may be repeated two or three times. The main procedure can then follow - or it may be carried out without any preliminary stretching operation(s). In order to deform the frizzled hair, the iron is closed to clasp and press a strand of hair at the root thereof between the corrugated faces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3 and then pulled toward the tip of the hair strand, but this pulling is only to exert tension, not to cause the iron to slide on the hair. At this point the corrugation of the opposing surfaces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3 applies relatively large pressure to the hair. Then the iron is opened, shifted in its position with respect to the hair slighly toward the tip, then closed down to clasp and press the hair again, and pulled toward the tip again, but not so as to slide on the hair. These steps are repeatedly applied to the hair with repeated slight shifting of the iron from the root to the tip of the hair. During this process, each part of the hair is pressed and deformed according to the shape of the corrugated faces 2a, 3a, but into a form which is more moderate than the shape of the corrugated faces 2a, 3a. However, in the next step, although the same part of the hair is pressed by the corrugated faces 2a, 3a, again, the positional relation between the faces and the hair is slightly different from before because of the intervening shifting. Therefore, when the relevant part of the hair is deformed again into a slightly more moderate form than the shape of the corrugated faces 2a, 3a, the shape at any point corresponds to a different part of the corrugated faces 2a, 3a, although the previous form is also retained to some extent. In other words, a new form is overlaid upon the previous form. Repetition of this step (usually four or five times) causes the frizzled hair to be gradually deformed into a fine waveform. The number of repetitions of the step with the hair iron varies with the degree of curliness or frizziness of the original hair. In the finishing stage of using the hair iron, the iron is closed to clasp the root of the hair between the corrugated faces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3 and drawn to slide on the hair slightly frictionally toward the tip of the hair. This stretches the hair to look straight as a whole although the hair still has a fine waveform. The set of figs. 5(a) - 5(h) shows the changes of the hair following the steps of the treatment described above. The hair in Fig. 5(a) is frizzled hair before treatment. Fig. 5(b) shows the hair temporarily straightened by firstly sliding the hair iron on it. Figs. 5(c) to 5(f) show the hair gradually changing through the repetition of the above process. Fig. 5(g) illustrates the hair after finally sliding the hair iron on the hair from the root to the tip. Subsequently the hair is treated with perming lotion and dried as described below, and it becomes almost completely straight, as shown in Fig. 5(h). In the final perming step after the treatment with the hair iron, the hair is treated with a conventional perming chemical solution (the second solution). The hair is coated with the second solution, the solution is washed off by warm water after being kept in a warming promoter for about 5 minutes or being let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes, and then the hair is dried by using a hair dryer. As a result, the hair becomes not only straight, but also flawless (to the naked eye), smooth and glossy. For example, assuming that a hair iron whose corrugated faces 2a, 3a are 3 cm in width is used and shifted on the hair from the root to the tip by 1 cm each time. The iron is shifted by 1/3 of the width of the pressing members. So one round of the step from the root to the tip gives pressure on the same part of the hair three times. A hair iron with wider corrugated faces may reduce the number of times of clasping the hair and is preferable for perming long hair. On the other hand, it is easier to use a hair iron with narrower corrugated faces for short hair. Therefore, the width of the corrugated faces is not particularly limited. Preferably it will be within the range between 0.8 and 8 cm. Incidentally, the shape of the corrugated faces 2a, 3a of the pressing members is such as a wave amplitude of 1/5 to 1/30 of the wave length, and at least one wave (for example, from a crest to the next crest) is needed in each of the pressing members. If the wave amplitude is too big compared with the wave length, the pressing force is too strong and the wave profile remains on the finished hair. Conversely, if the wave amplitude is too small, the pressing force is too weak to deform the hair. It is therefore necessary to choose a hair iron having a corrugation appropriate to the quality of the hair. In general, a wave amplitude of about 1/7 of the wave length is suitable for stiff and thick frizzled hair, while a wave amplitude of less than 1/13 of the wave length is preferable for fine and weak frizzled hair, and a wave amplitude of less than 1/20 of the wave length for originally straight hair. The flatter opposing faces of hair pressing members are formed, the weaker pressure the hair iron applies to the hair. In the present invention, however, even a hair iron with corrugated surfaces which have a wave amplitude of 1/20 of the wave length can applied sufficient pressure to hair. A second embodiment of hair iron for use in the invention is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this embodiment, the opposing faces of the pressing members 2, 3 have corrugated portions 2a, 3a and other portions 2b, 3b. The former match each other, while the latter need not necessarily do so. More importantly, the latter have a gap therebetween when the iron is closed. In the use of the iron the corrugated poriton 2a, 3a are located at the root side of the hair and the other portions 2b, 3b at the tip side of the hair. Therefore, since the treatment described above is given from the root to the tip of hair, part of the hair is firstly warmed in the gap portions 2b, 3b and then pressed by the corrugated matching portions 2a, 3a. The gap (the distance between the gap faces 2b and 3b) when the iron is closed is required to be large enough not to prevent hair from expanding when the hair is warmed in the gap. The size of the gap may be chosen according to the quality of hair, but preferably is about 0.4 mm. In order to facilitate the work of shifting the iron on the hair from the root to the tip, the width of the gap face portions 2b, 3b is desirably about 1/3 of the width of the pressing member portions 2, 3. The method of straight-perming frizzled hair with the hair iron of the second embodiment is the same as described in the first embodiment. Hair has the property of swelling and becomes soft when it is warmed. Therefore, in the use of the iron of the second embodiment, hair is warmed in the gap between the gap faces 2b, 3b of the pressing members 2, 3 and then becomes soft before it is pressed by the corrugated faces 2a, 3a, so that, when being pressed, it is more likely to be deformed according to the corrugation of the faces 2a, 3a. This lessens the number of times of pressing the hair needed in order to straight it. In perming the hair of similar quality, the ratio of the amplitude of the wave with respect to the length of the wave of the corrugations of the second embodiment of iron can be smaller than with the first embodiment, e.g. as little as 1/30. In the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the uneven faces 2a, 3a of the pressing members 2, 3 are formed into a wave shape. In the second embodiment, the gap faces 2b, 3b are both flat, but they are not particularly limited to flat so long as there is sufficient free space between the gap faces 2b, 3b. The method of straight-perming frizzled hair is descibed above, but non-frizzled hair or straight hair may be similarly permed. The method gives the hair glossiness and smoothness. Since hair is permed by pressing, the volume is suppressed, and splitting of hair is prevented. Using the hair iron as described in accordance with the present invention a relatively large pressing force is applied to the hair, which is treated in multiple directions by the corrugation of the pressing members. Shifting the iron along the hair little by little from the root to the tip and repeatedly pressing the hair causes the hair to be pressed vertically and laterally in multiple directions, so that the hair is deformed to have a fine waveform without any large bends. Before or afterwards (or both) the iron is slid on the hair from the root to the tip to stretch the hair and in the last step treatment with perming lotion (second solution) is given to the hair, and then the hair becomes straight. Even frizzled hair which is curly, less glossy, rough, damaged (or looks damaged), and/or not combed smoothly may become smooth, glossy and straight without being damaged through the treatment with the hair iron of the present invention. Hair treated in this manner does not return to the original frizzled hair by shampooing or dyeing, and for a long period the hair remains straight and keeps its smoothness and glossiness. Besides, hair which has been pressingly treated in this way does not split even if it is permed similarly many times.

Claims: A hair iron for straight-perming hair, comprising a grip part or handle (4), pressing members (2, 3), and a heater for heating at least one of the pressing members (2, 3), said pressing members (2, 3) having respective opposing faces between which the hair is claspable and pressable, the opposing faces of the pressing members (2, 3) being uneven and matching each other over at least a part (2a, 3a) thereof, characterised in that each of the uneven opposing face parts (2a, 3a) of the pressing members (2, 3) has a waveform section wherein the respective opposing face parts (2a, 3a) have at least one wave and the amplitude of the wave is 1/5 to 1/30 of the length of the wave. A hair iron according to claim 1, wherein the uneven opposing face parts (2a, 3a) cover the entire area of the respective opposing faces of the pressing members (2, 3). A hair iron according to claim 1, wherein the opposing faces of the pressing members (2, 3) comprise first opposing face parts (2a, 3a) which extend laterally from one longitudinal side thereof, are uneven and have corrugations which match each other, and second opposing face parts (2b, 3b) which extend laterally from the other longitudinal side thereof and have a gap therebetween for allowing hair to swell. A hair iron according to claim 3, wherein each of the uneven first opposing face parts (2a, 3a) has a waveform section. A hair iron according to claim 3, wherein the second opposing face parts (2b, 3b) of the opposing faces are both flat. A method of straight-perming hair using a hair iron according to claim 1, the method steps comprising: shifting the hair iron along the hair little by little from the root to the tip thereof while repeatedly pressing and releasing the hair, thereby deforming the hair into a fine waveform by bending it in multiple directions; and, in a separate operation, sliding the hair iron on the hair frictionally from the root to the tip thereof to stretch the said hair; and also treating the hair by applying a perming solution thereto.

Inventors: NAKAMURA TETUGI, NAKAMURA, TETUGI
Applicants: NAKAMURA TETUGI, NAKAMURA, TETUGI
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A45D1
IPC codes: A45D2, A45D1