Abstract:
For use in a hair treatment procedure, an apparatus for protecting previously treated hair from retreatment while, at the same time, serving as a winding rod for the hair to be treated. The invention includes a curling rod upon which the hair section to be protected is wound. The curling rod and wound hair is then enclosed within a slotted, split cylindrical casing. Winding of the hair section to be treated continues around the casing, exposing this hair section to the treatment materials.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting previously treated hair from retreatment while, at the same time, serving as a winding rod for hair to be treated in a hair treatment procedure. 
     2. Prior Art 
     To acheive the best results in certain hair treatment procedures, it is important to segregate previously treated hair sections from those which are yet to be treated. The common permanent is a frequently used example of such a hair treatment procedure. Typically, the permanent is applied to hair consisting of a previously permanented section that has grown out from the scalp, and a new growth section, close to the scalp, which has surfaced since the previous treatment. Under present methods the hairdresser normally winds both sections of hair on a curling rod and applies the chemical solution thereon. The net effect is that the previously treated hair is over-processed, which damages the hair beyond repair and results in a dry, brittle texture. Correspondingly, the newly grown hair is barely waved. 
     Various hair curling devices have been suggested in the past for solving this problem. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,946 to Gallegos, the previously treated hair and a sheet of fluid impermeable material are wound together upon a plastic curling rod. A split sleeve of resilient polyethylene is then pressed onto the assembly of wound hair and sheet, thus sealing the wound hair from intrusion of the hair treatment materials. In this embodiment, the split sleeve acts in combination with the fluid impermeable sheet to protect the previously treated hair. The newly grown hair is then wound upon the split sleeve until the assembly is located adjacent to the scalp. An elastic cord is then stretched across the wound hair to retain it in position. 
     Another technique is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,345 to Riley. There, the hair section to be protected is wrapped in a fluid impermeable paper. The enclosed hair and the paper are then rolled up into a croquignole. The unrolled exposed hair section is then treated with solution. This invention provides no means for winding the hair section to be treated. 
     In both of the referenced patents, protection of the previously treated hair is accomplished in large part by a fluid impermeable sheet. This requires the time consuming steps of placing the outstretched hair on the sheet, and then rolling the hair in combination with the sheet. This procedure is also extremely awkward for any person rolling their own hair, in that they have to keep the hair section and sheet in alignment with one hand, while manipulating the curling rod with the other. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide protection for previously treated hair without the need of a fluid impermeable sheet. A further object of the inventive apparatus is to provide such protection while simultaneously serving as a winding rod upon which the remaining untreated hair sections can be wound. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objectives are acheived by providing a root perm rod that encapsulates previously treated hair, and at the same time serves as a winding rod for hair to be treated in a hair treatment procedure. To accomplish this, the apparatus includes a hair receiving spool or curling rod, a split cylindrical casing adapted to fold over and totally enclose the curling rod, and two caps, connected by an elastic band, adapted to fit over both ends of the cylindrical casing. 
     In a hair treatment procedure, the previously treated hair is preferably wound upon the curling rod. The curling rod and wound hair is then enclosed within the split cylindrical casing. A narrow slot in the side of the closed casing allows the curling rod to be totally encapsulated without pinching the unwound section of hair closest to the curling rod. The hair section to be treated, which lies closest to the scalp, is then wound upon the cylindrical casing. An elastic band, which is connected to caps placed on both ends of the cylindrical casing, retains the wound hair in place. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elongated curling rod, bipartite cylindrical casing, and sealing caps of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating placement of the wound, previously treated hair and the elongated curling rod within the cylindrical casing. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway view, partly in section, showing the assembled elements of the present invention. The hair to be treated is wound and retained upon the cylindrical casing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the root perm rod of the present invention includes a curling rod 5, a split cylindrical casing 8, and two sealing caps 15 and 16 connected by an elastic retaining band 17. The cylindrical casing 8 is adapted to encapsulate and protect the curling rod 5 and hair wound thereon, while also serving as a winding member for the remaining hair section 21 (see FIG. 2) not encapsulated. The sealing caps 15 and 16 and elastic band 17 retain the hair section 21 wound upon the cylindrical casing 8. 
     The curling rod 5 is an element of generally conventional design upon which a hair section can be wound. The curling rod 5 illustrated is essentially an elongated hyperboloidal spool made of a molded plastic composition. The curling rod 5 has a larger diameter at its end portions 5a than the diameter of the central portion 5b, resulting in a generally concave shape of the central portion 5b. This shape facilitates winding of a hair section 20 (see FIG. 2) around the curler central portion 5b only, enabling the end portions 5a, upon, which no hair is accmulated, to be used for winding the curling rod 5. 
     The curling rod 5 uses a plurality of minute teeth 5c l to form a rough surface that serves to grip the hair 20 being wound upon the curler 5. The rod 5 also has hollow core 6. The hollow core 6 allows for circulation of drying air through dampened hair 20 wound upon the rod 5. Additional circulation may be provided by adding small perforations 5d that open into the hollow core 6. 
     The outer casing or curling rod shell 8 includes two hollowed half shells 9 and 10. Preferably, these half shells are arranged in tandem and are coupled at their common end by a flexible hinge 12. In the alternative the half shells may be coupled by a flexible longitudinal hinge so that they are side-opening. Each casing half shell is generally semi-cylindrical in shape, with the end portions having a larger diameter than the central portion. Thus, when closed, the casing 8 has a generally cylindrical shape with a concave central section 8a to conform to the shape of the enclosed curling rod 5 (see FIG. 2). Recesses, 9a and 10a, are located on the side of each half shell section, 9 and 10 respectively, such that when the casing 8 is closed it contains a slot 11 (see FIG. 3) through which unwound hair 21 may pass in a layer of relatively uniform thickness, as shown. 
     As shown in FIG. 2 the plastic, resilient hinge 12 enables the two half shells 9 and 10 to be opened away from each other, allowing for ease of insertion of the curling rod 5. The hinge 12 then permits the two half shells 9 and 10 to be folded one over the other, thereby totally enclosing the curling rod 5 located within. The casing 8 is latched or locked around the curling rod 5 by virtue of an upstanding catch 13 on the distal end of one of the half shell sections that is accepted into a corresponding notch 14 in the distal end of the other half shell section. As shown in FIG. 3, when the casing or shell 8 is closed, the recesses 9a and 10a in each half shell section 9 and 10 create a narrow slot 11. The slot 11 width is sufficiently small so that the closed casing 8 forms a fluid tight seal around the unwound hair that protrudes in a layer through the slot 11. This keeps the treatment fluid out of the interior of the casing 8, thereby eliminating the need for a fluid impermeable sheet. 
     Two sealing caps 15 and 16 are adapted to fit on the end portions of the closed casing 8. Each cap is essentially a short cylindrical tube with a hollowed cylindrical section 15b having an inner diameter essentially equal to the outer diameter of the end portions of the casing 8. The cap cylindrical section 15b stands perpendicularly out from a flat cylindrical end 15a having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the cylindrical section 15b. The cap end 15a contains a small opening 15c through which an elastic band 17 passes, interconnecting the two caps 15 and 16. The caps 15 and 16 act to seal the closed cylindrical casing 8 and stretch the elastic band 17 over the casing 8 and any hair section wound thereon. 
     The preferred use of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For purposes of this description, the hair has been divided into two sections, a previously treated section 20, and a newly grown untreated section 21 that lies closest to the scalp 22. The previously treated hair 20 is first rolled upon the elongated curling rod 5. The curling rod 5 and wound hair 20 is then placed within one of the half shells 9 or 10 of the split casing 8, being careful to situate the unwound hair section 21 within the half shell recess 9a or 10a. The casing half shells, situated in tandem or alternatively side-by-side, are then folded over and latched, totally encapsulating the curling rod 5 and wound hair section 20. The slot 11 created by the recesses 9a and 10a forms a fluid tight seal around the unwound hair section protruding in a layer therethrough. This protects the encased hair section 20 from hair treatment materials without the need of a fluid impermeable sheet. 
     Winding of the hair section to be treated 21 is then continued upon the cylindrical casing 8 until the entire hair section is rolled and the outer casing is in close proximity with the scalp 22. The sealing caps 15 and 16 are then placed at both ends of the cylindrical casing 8 which stretches the elastic band 17 over the casing 8 and wound hair section 21. This serves to retain the wound hair section 21 in place for the hair treatment procedure. In this configuration only the newly grown hair section to be treated 21 is exposed to the hair treatment materials. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described herein, it should be clear that the disclosed invention maybe be modified in many respects while still retaining its essential features and advantages. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined, not by the disclosed embodiment, but rather by the following claims.