Process and apparatus for treating human hair
United States Patent 1191 Boyd 1 1 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING HUMAN HAIR [76] Inventor: Flavil Boyd, 999 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, 111. 60611 [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 450,659  
 [ Apr. 15, 1975 Primary E.\&#39;aminerG. E. McNeil] [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a process and apparatus for treating human hair so as to give it an appearance of fullness greater than it has in its natural state. The apparatus and process involve the use of a complimentary shaped elongated base member and a resilient clamping member adapted to be disposed in close, interfitting relation adjacent the scalp of the user with a plurality of strands of hair clamped therebetween. The configuration of these components is such that, if a hair setting solution is associated with the strands of hair when so clamped, the strands acquire a crimped configuration adjacent the scalp which produces a fullness in the hair that is greater than normal.  
 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR TREATING HUMAN HAIR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a process and apparatus for treating human hair and more particularly to a hair crimping process and device adapted to physically modify the configuration of the hair so as to give an appearance of fullness to the hair without the utilization of more radical procedures such as teasing.  
  It is an object of the invention to provide a hair treating process and device that is designed to place a plurality of closely spaced, relatively sharp crimps in the individual hair strands immediately adjacent the scalp. The ultimate objective of this procedure is to cause the hair to stand upwardly to a greater degree than it normally does without such deformation.  
  A further object is to provide a device which is simple to apply to the hair and which can be readily used in conjunction with conventional wave set solution to achieve the desired result without requiring professional assistance.  
  Still another object is to provide a device of the character described that is of relatively simple const uction and is adapted to be easily formed of inexpensive materials.  
  The specific features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. Its organization and manner of operation, together with further-objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ;-;FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa preferred form of de vice incorporating the invention with the components in operatively assembled relation.  
  FIG. 2 is a view in vertical cross-section of a device such as that shown in FIG. 1 with the device disposed on the scalp of a user with the strands of hair clamped therein.  
  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base member of the device shown in FIG. 1.  
  FIG. 4 isa perspective view of the clamping member shown in FIG. 1.  
  FIG. 5 is a view in vertical cross-section of a device incorporating an alternative embodiment of the invention with the components shown in operatively assembled relation. I  
 FIG. 6 is a perspective view ofa device incorporating PROCESS AND still another alternative embodiment of the invention with the components shown in operatively assembled relation. 7  
  FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the two components shown assembled in FIG. 6.  
  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the other of the two components shown in assembled relation in FIG. 6.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus I Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIGS. 1 4, the preferred embodiment shown therein comprises two basic components, one of which is the elongated base member 10. An&#39;elongated, preferably hollow, bead member 12 is provided on one face 14 of the base member 10, in spaced relation to the lateral edges 16 and l8&#39;thereof. The bead member 12, as shown. may have a substantially cylindrical configuration so that it is adapted to receive the clamping member 20 in interfitting. clamping relation. A plurality of openings 19 may be provided in the bead member 12 extending from the outer surface thereof to the hollow interior. The clamping member 20 is formed of suitably resilient material so that it can be readily forced over and into such interfitting, clamping relation with the bead member 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but, nevertheless. exerts a substantial confining force on the bead member I2.  
  The clamping member 20 is provided with flanges 22 and 24 disposed along the lateral edges thereof which members are adapted to closely overlie the face 14 of the base member 10. The face 14 may have a plurality of grooves 21 formed therein. preferably disposed so as to communicate with the innermost openings 19 in the bead member 12. The angle formed between the face 14 of the base member 10 and the portion of the bead 12 immediately adjacent thereto is preferably less than The main body of the clamping member 20 is also preferably provided with a plurality of openings 26 extending therethrough, so that portions of the bead member 12 are still exposed when the clamping member is disposed in interfitting relation therewith.  
  The lateral edge 16 of the base member 10 may be beveled, as shown in FIG. 3, and the lateral edge 22 of the clamping member 20 may also be beveled in the opposite direction, as best shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the two members 10 and 20, when clamped in interfitting relation. will then be more readily capable of separation because of the beveled nature of the two upper edges l6&#39;and 22, respectively. The fingertips of the user can be placed in suitable contact with these upper edges to apply a separating force that will move the two members 10 and 20 out of locked engagement more readily, because of this feature, at the appropriate time.  
  The bottom edge 18 of the base member and the bottom edge 24 of the clamping member .20, on the other hand, are preferably unbeveled so that their contact with the scalp 27 will be more comfortable. In addition, or alternatively, the longitudinal dimensions of the clamping member 20 and the base member 10 can dif fer slightly so that the ends of one such member project beyond those of the other member. An area of contact is thus provided for the fingertips to accomplish a separation of the two components more readily, at the appropriate time.  
  Since the basic objective of the use of a device incorporating the invention, as previously state, is to place a plurality of closely spaced, relatively sharp crimps in the individual hair strands 29 immediately adjacent the scalp 27, the configuration and relative dimensions thereof should be such that this result is accomplished. Satisfactory results have been obtained where the bottom flange 24 of the clamping member 20 is between approximately one-eighth inch to one-half inch in width and the dimensions of the remaining portion of the device are comparable to this dimension. Obviously, the exact dimensions can vary from these precise figures, but the basic objective of keeping the crimped portions of the hair strands 29 in close association with the scalp 27 should be observed. The peripheral dimension of the bead member 12 should likewise be kept relatively small so that the length of hair between the crimped portions in each hair strand is maintained at a suitable minimum.  
 Process The process of treating the hair with the apparatus described is relatively simple. After first applying setting solution to the base area of the hair strands to be treated, the base member is placed on the scalp so that the lower edge thereof is immediately adjacent to or in abutmentwith the scalp. A relatively narrow line of hair strands is then engaged by the lower edge 24 of the clamping member with the hair being held in a substantially upright position. The clamping member 20 is then moved into interfitting. clamping association with the base member 10 by applying a sufflcient force to the clamping member to cause it to be sufficiently distorted to ride over the outer extremity of the bead member 12 and then into close interfitting relation with the bead so that the main body of the clamping member 20 closely overlies the bead member 12 and the flanges 22 and 24 on the clamping member 20 are brought into close association with the face 14 of the base member As best shown in FIG. 2, the thinline of hair strands is thereby clamped in between the base member 10 and the clamping member 20 in a substantially vertical position with respect to the scalp. The individual strands are. thus. forced into a configuration such that there is a relatively sharp crimp formed in the individual strands at the two points 28 and 30. The dimensions of the base member 10 and the clamping member 20 are such that the distance between the point 28 and the scalp, under such circumstances, is quite small. Likewise, the diameter of the bead 12 is relatively small so that the resultant crimp at point 28 .inthe hair strands is closely adjacent to the scalp and the resultant crimp at point 30 in the strands is, likewise, relatively closely adjacent to the first crimp formed at the point 28. The end result is that both crimps in the individual hair strands are relatively close to the scalp and are formed in what can be regarded as the base portion of the individual strands of hair.  
  The hair setting solution is also preferably applied to the base portions of the hair strands after the device is placed in clamped engagement with the hair. The solution can be applied through the openings 26 in the clamping member 20 after it is disposed in engagement with the base member 10. The setting solution can also be introduced into the grooves 21 so that it will flow downwardly into the innermost openings in the bead member 12 to moisten the hair strands adjacent the points 28 and 30. The entrapped strands of hair will then take a set substantially in conformance with the cross-sectional configuration of the face 14 and bead 12 of the base member 10. Most significantly, the hair strands will be crimped substantially at the points 28 and 30, as previously described, and such configuration of the hair will be maintained after the base member 10 and the clamping member 20 are removed from association with the hair strands.  
  It is obviousthat a plurality of devices such as have been described will normally be applied to the hair at the time of treatment in the areas where the appearance of fullness in the hair is desired. The alignment of the devices so applied &#39;can&#39; bein substantially any pattern that is convenient to the user, although normally BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS &#39;Although the preferred form of device as described and illustrated in FIGS. 1 4 is provided witha bead member 12 that is generally a substantially cylindrical configuration, this may be varied to-some extent Without losing the desired effect of crimping the hair. FIG. 5, for example, shows an alternative cross-sectional configuration for the base member 32 and the clamping member 34. The bead member 36 has other than a cylindrical configuration, but is still provided with a cross-sectional shape that produces a relatively sharp crimp in the clamped hair strands at the points 38 and 40 when the clamping member having a complimentary cross-sectional shape is forced into close interfitting relation withthe bead 36. The manner of operation of this modified form is, of course, substantially the same as that described for the preferred embodiment and the end result is, likewise, approximately the same.  
  A plurality of suitable passageways may be provided in one or both of the members 32 and 34, such as are formed by spaced grooves 31 on the upper face of the base member 32 and the similarly aligned openings 33 extending through the base of the bead member 36, preferably from the point 38 to point 40. Obviously, grooves complimentary to the grooves 31 could be pro vided in the clamping member 34, if desired. Such grooves 31 and openings 33 will facilitate the application of the setting solution to the portions of the hair strands that are disposed in the area of the points 38 and 40 after the clamping member 34 is in place. Setting solution can be introduced into the groove formed by the beveled upper edges of the members 32 and 34 so that it will gravitate downwardly in the grooves 31 and the openings 33 and likewise into the openings 41 in the clamping member.  
  Another alternative form of device is shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, wherein both the base member 42 and the clamping member 44 are each provided with a bead member 46 and 48, respectively. The cross-sectional configuration of the two members 42 and 44 is such that they now each perform the function of a clamping member and abase member with the result that the two crimps that are placed in each individual strand of hair at the points 50 and 52 are separated by what may be characterized as an S-curve portion.  
  The other characteristics of the two members 42 and 44 are substantially as previously described, except for the fact that no bottom flange is provided on the clamping member 44. The bottom edge 54 of the member 44 abuts the bottom flange 56 of the member 42, the edge of the flange 56 being adapted to be disposed immediately adjacent to the scalp of the user. Theupper flange members 58 and 60 of the members 42 and 44 are provided with beveled edges 62 and 64, respectively, for  
 the purpose previously described, and each of the members 42 and 44 are provided with suitable openings 66 in the clamping portion thereof, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, to permit wave set lotion to be applied to the hair clamped between the members 42 and 44, as described previously. Obviously, additional suitable openings, such as openings 31 and 33 shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, can be provided in the two members 42 and 44, if desired.  
  While the particular hair crimping process and means herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are in tended to the details of construction or design steps herein shown and described, other than as defined in the appended claims.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A hair crimping device comprising an elongated base member adapted to be disposed along one lateral edge in close association with the scalp. an elongated bead member on one face of said base member, said bead member having a cross-sectional configuration such that the surface of said bead member immediately adjacent the conjunction of said bead member with said base member is disposed at an acute angle to said face of said base member and a resilient clamping member having an elongated opening therein, said clamping member having a crosssectional configuration complimentary to the cross-sectional configuration of said bead member and sufficiently distortable that said clamping member can be forced over and into 6 interfitting. clamping relation with said bead member, with strands of hair disposed therebetween.  
  2. A hair crimping device of the character defined in claim 1 further characterized in that a plurality of openings are provided in at least one of said base member and said clamping member providing access to selected portions of said strands of hair.  
  3. A hair crimping device of the character defined in claim 2 further comprising flange portions on each lateral edge of said clamping member adapted to overlie said face of said base member on which said bead member is disposed when said clamping member is forced over and into interfitting clamping relation with said bead member.  
  4. A hair crimping device of the character defined in claim 1 further characterized in that the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of said bead member and the distance of said bead member from the lateral edge of said base member adapted to be disposed in close association with the scalp is such that said strands of hair are clamped immediately adjacent to the scalp. when said base member is so disposed and said clamping member is so disposed in interfitting relation with said base member.