Patent Publication Number: US-2003226572-A1

Title: Hair treatment device with transparent segment and dispensing apparatus therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] This invention generally relates to hair treatment and, more particularly, to a hair treatment product having a transparent segment to monitor the treatment process, and an apparatus for dispensing a roll of the product.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Many types of devices and products have been developed over the years for treating hair, such as for highlighting or coloring hair. However, the material still preferred by most colorists or stylists for highlighting or coloring hair is aluminum foil. In using aluminum foil, a sheet of foil is usually ripped or torn from a roll of material mounted in a holder loosely mounted on an available surface. It is not always easy to tear off the right size pieces of aluminum foil and wastage occurs. When finally obtained, the correctly sized torn-off pieces of aluminum foil are utilized by the colorist or stylist to isolate the hair of the person to frost, highlight or color their hair, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.  
       [0005] However, when the aluminum foil is covering or wrapped around the strands of hair being treated, the colorist or stylist cannot readily see what is happening to the covered hair, without removing or opening the foil, thereby sometimes interrupting and/or ruining the treating process. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved aluminum foil that allows the colorist or stylist to easily view the treatment process they are performing, without interfering therewith, so as to improve the results thereof.  
       [0006] There also exists the need in the art for an improved dispenser for aluminum foil, which will prevent wastage and allow correct size pieces to be consistently torn off a roll when utilizing only one hand.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved device for treating hair. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an improved aluminum foil having a transparent view portion for use in treating hair. And, it is yet another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved aluminum foil having a transparent central segment held in a dispenser secured to a surface for more consistent and handy dispensing of the aluminum foil.  
       [0008] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing elongated portions of aluminum foil secured to an elongated central transparent portion for viewing hair being treated. The improved aluminum foil with transparent central portion is formed into a roll and held in a dispenser having a cut-off edge and an adhesive portion for securing to a flat surface.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009] The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of roll of aluminum foil having a transparent central segment of the present invention, for use in treating hair;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially exploded, of a dispenser for the roll of aluminum foil of FIG. 1;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a further perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 2, secured to a surface and showing the aluminum foil of the present invention being dispensed therefrom and partially cut-off; and  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the aluminum foil and transparent segment, taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0014] The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to describe an improved aluminum foil for use in treating hair by colorists and stylists.  
     [0015] Turning now to the drawings, there shown is a preferred embodiment of the aluminum foil of the present invention, generally indicated at  10 . The aluminum foil  10  is preferably comprised of a pair of separate, elongated portions or strips of aluminum foil  12 ,  14  having a central, elongated transparent portion or segment  16  secured between the two aluminum strips. The aluminum foil strips  12 ,  14  are of a thickness similar to the foil currently preferred by colorists and stylists. The transparent portion  16  is preferably made from a clear plastic material about 0.5 to 1.0 mils. thick. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the formed aluminum foil  10  has a width of approximately 4.75 to 5.00 inches, while the central, clear plastic segment or window  16  is about 0.5 to 0.75 inches wide.  
     [0016] As best shown in FIG. 4, the aluminum foil  10  is formed by securing the clear plastic material  16  to one side of the elongated strips  12 ,  14  along parallel edges thereof. The clear plastic material  16  is preferably an acetate, or similar flexible, clear plastic material, approximately one (1) to one and one-half (1½) 20 inches wide secured to the strips of aluminum foil  12 ,  14 , which are approximately two (2) to two and one-quarter (2¼) inches wide. An adhesive  18  that will permanently secure the aluminum foil strips  12 ,  14  to the clear plastic segment  16  is used.  
     [0017] The formed aluminum foil  10 , having the clear elongated central segment  16 , is preferably formed into a roll  20  (as shown in FIG. 1) for dispensing from a dispenser or holder  22 . The dispenser or holder  22  is preferably rectangular having a top  24 , four side walls  26  and a base or bottom  28 . The top  24  opens, as by being hingedly mounted to a side wall  26 , so that the roll  20  may be inserted and held in a hollow chamber formed therein. The aluminum foil  10  is dispensed through a slotted opening  30  (see FIG. 3), formed in top  24 , and cut off in predetermined lengths by a cut-off blade  32 , secured at a top portion of one of the side walls  26 , opposite the side wall to which the top  24  is hingedly attached.  
     [0018] The dispenser or holder  22  is provided with an adhesive strip  34  for securing the base  28  or one of the sides  26  to a flat surface. When the dispenser  22  is secured to a flat surface, as shown in FIG. 3, the aluminum foil  10  may be easily pulled out through the opening  30  and cut off on blade  32  by a person using one hand, thereby allowing a colorist or stylist to easily obtain and manipulate correctly sized torn-off portions for use in treating the hair of a client or customer.  
     [0019] In use, the improved aluminum foil  10  of the present invention is wrapped around a person&#39;s hair with a coloring agent, treatment solution, or the like, therein. The colorist or stylist can view how the treatment of the wrapped hair is progressing, through the transparent segment  16 , without having to open or remove the foil.  
     [0020] Thus, there has been described an improved, easy-to-use aluminum foil having a transparent segment for use when treating hair to allow a colorist or stylist to view their work, while in progress. The aluminum foil may be used with any dispenser, but preferably with a dispenser that may be secured to a flat surface for single hand dispensing of the foil. The aluminum foil with the transparent plastic segment enables the person treating someone&#39;s hair to more easily control their work, and quickly correct any mistakes before removing the aluminum foil.  
     [0021] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments may be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.