Hair curler

Abstract

A hair curler permanently associated with a spring clip via connection to a spherical member which is located within the interior of the roller freely movable both longitudinally and rotatably. In use, the spring clip may be withdrawn or unclamped from the roller whereupon the spherical member becomes journalled at one end of the roller so that the spring clip is universally positionable and, in particular, movable to a position transverse to the axis of the roller.

Parent Case Text

This is the parent of continuation-in-part Ser. No. 504,195 filed Sept. 9, 1974 issued in Group 330

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to hair curlers and, more particularly, to hair rollers having self-contained spring clips associated with them.

One technique used for many years in the styling of hair comprises grasping a strand of hair and winding it onto a hollow, cylindrical roller until the entire strand is wound onto the roller with the latter consequently assuming a position adjacent to the scalp. At this time a spring clip, commonly referred to as a bobby pin, is urged onto the wound roller, usually between it and the scalp, thereby clamping the wound hair in place on the roller. The hair may then be moistened and dried to impart a curl to the strand of hair.

When the bobby pin and roller are independent of each other, this procedure is rather tedious since it is difficult to hold a roller having a strand of hair wound around it in place, locate a bobby pin, locate the proper area of the roller on which to clamp the pin, spread the fingers of the pin and, finally, clamp the pin over the roller and hair. Oftentimes, the bobby pin is misplaced during the procedure.

In order to alleviate some of the above problems, attempts have been made to couple spring clips to hair rollers, However, the results of these attempts have not been entirely satisfactory. A majority of devices of this kind involve in their operation a telescoping extension of the roller in the axial direction of one of various components, such as concentric sleeves, the bobby pin itself or other like elements (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,221,753; 3,498,300; and 3,241,561). However, such structure creates a serious problem in that when a multiplicity of rollers are used in close proximity to each other (which is commonly the case), severe space limitations are created due to the fact that any two adjacent rollers are usually substantially contiguous. Any element which telescopes from the roller and thereby increases the longitudinal dimension thereof would in all probability interfere with an adjacent roller.

Another disadvantage inherent in some prior art devices is that their designs are such that elements associated with the roller, most commonly the spring clip itself, overlies the cylindrical surface of the roller while the strand of hair is being wound on it. These obstructions on the surface of the roller adversely affect the "feel" and handling thereof.

The prior art roller-spring clip combinations have yet another disadvantage. As mentioned above, after the strand of hair is wound over the roller, the bobby pin is preferably clamped in a position as close to the scalp as possible so that there is no "play" in the wound roller. Although some of the prior devices provide a clip which may be clamped at any location on the roller, considerable difficulty is often encountered in moving the clip to the desired position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hair roller having a self-contained spring clip.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved hair roller-spring clip assembly wherein the spring clip, when removed from clamping relationship with the roller, may be positioned transverse to the axis of the latter.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hair roller-spring clip assembly wherein the unclamped pin is universally positionable with respect to the roller.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a new and improved hair roller-spring clip assembly wherein no obstructions are present on the surface of the roller during the winding of a strand of hair on it.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved hair roller-spring clip assembly wherein the spring clip may be clamped onto the wound roller at any desired position in a quick and easy manner.

Briefly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, these and other objects are obtained by retaining a spherical member in the interior of a hair roller having a hollow, cylindrical shape so that the spherical member may move freely in both the longitudinal direction and rotatable. The leading end of a spring clip, such as a bobby pin, is pivotally mounted to the spherical member. When the spring clip is unclamped from the roller, the spherical member is drawn against a stop provided at one end of the roller so that the spherical member is effectively journalled at that roller end. This spherical-type bearing in combination with the pivotal mounting of the spring clip onto the spherical member results in the spring clip being universally positionable with respect to the roller. The leading end of the spring clip may be moved to any desired location on the roller both quickly and easily since the spherical member rotates substantially freely within the interior of the roller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the invention and its use in winding a strand of hair;

FIG. 2 is a side view in section of the invention wherein the spring clip is not clamped to the roller;

FIG. 3 is a side view in partial section of the invention wherein the leading end of the spring clip is contiguous with the edge of the roller;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the spring clip clasping the wound strand of hair to the roller; and

FIG. 5 is a side view in section of the invention wherein a spring clip is clasping the strand of hair to the roller.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the roller-spring clip assembly, generally denoted as 10, includes a hollow, cylindrical member or roller 12 made of any suitable material, such for example as plastic. A multiplicity of openings 14 may be, and are preferably, formed through the cylindrical wall to promote ventilation and drying of the moistened hair as is readily understood in the art. A spring clip 16 is coupled to roller 12 by way of a spherical member 18 retained within the interior of roller 12 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the roller so that it is freely movable therewithin.

The spring clip 16 resembles a bobby pin and comprises a U-shaped member defined by an inner leg 20 and an opposed, outer leg 22. Spherical member 18 may be formed of any suitable material, such as plastic or wood, and has a slot 24 preferably formed through a major plane i.e. through a plane containing a diameter of the member, approximately half-way through the spherical member. The slot 24 is slightly wider than the width of the legs of spring clip 16. A pin 26 extends transversely through slot 24 so that it is eccentric or displaced from the center of the spherical member.

Referring to FIG. 2, the leading end 28 of inner leg 20 comprises a curved portion 30, which diverges from a somewhat similarly curved leading end 32 of outer leg 22, and a ring or eye 34 integrally connected to a rearwardly turned portion 36 of leading end 28. The ring 34 surrounds and pivots around pin 26 thereby retaining spring clip 16 onto spherical member 18. The diameter of ring 34 is substantially greater than that of pin 26 so that there is substantial play in the connection. For purposes which will become clear hereinbelow, the extent of curvature of curved portion 30 of inner leg 20 is preferably substantially equal to the curvature of the surface of spherical member 18 as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The spherical member 18 is located within the interior of roller 12 and retained therein by internal annular ribs 38, 38' formed at each end of the roller. Ribs 38, 38' may be integrally formed with the roller as shown or may comprise separate retaining rings suitably fixed to the interior end by an adhesive. To be positioned within the interior of roller 12 the spherical member 18 is urged against rib 38 until the elements deform sufficiently so that the spherical member is received therewithin.

The operation of the invention will now be described. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the end of a strand of hair 40 (which is usually somewhat moistened) is held against a central portion of the outer surface of roller 12. The strand is then wound around the roller by rotating the latter in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. As this is being done the spherical member 18 is located at the extreme right-hand end of roller 12 (as seen in FIG. 2) its movement being limited through contact with rib 38. When spherical member 18 and rib 38 are in contact, their interaction is similar to a ball-socket joint in that the spherical member is universally rotatable, being journalled on the surface defined by rib 38. During the winding step described above, the spring clip 16 may be grasped as a handle by one hand while the other hand grasps and rotates the other end of roller 12. Of course, both hands may be used to turn the roller 12 as shown in FIG. 1 since the spring clip 16 naturally tends to assume the position shown in FIG. 2.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the structure of the roller-spring clip assembly results in the spring clip assuming a position during the winding step which is transverse to the axis of the roller. This is advantageous in that there are no substantial extensions from the roller in the longitudinal direction which might interfere with other rollers previously secured to the hair adjacent roller 12. In fact, that portion of spherical member 18 extending from the end of roller 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be further withdrawn into the interior of roller 12 during the winding operation. Thus, only the spring clip 16 in its transverse position relative to roller 12 will extend from the roller during winding and the possibility of interference with an adjacent, previously wound roller is practically non-existant.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the entire strand of hair 40 is wound onto roller 12, spring clip 16 is urged into the position shown in FIG. 3 wherein the edge of roller 12 is pinched between the diverging ends 28, 32 of clip 16. By virtue of the cooperation between spherical member 18 and spring clip 16, this step is accomplished with extreme facility. More specifically, as the spring clip 16 is urged towards the position shown in FIG. 3, the spherical member 18 guides the clip end precisely to the desired position. It has been found that if the pin is grasped and a slight outward force exerted on it away from the end of the roller while the clip is being moved into clamping position, the spherical member 18 will be retained against the rib 38 so that the upper surface of leading end 28 of inner clip leg 20 is necessarily brought into initial contact with the inner surface of roller 12. The divergence of the leading end 32 of outer leg 22 assures that the roller wall is wedged or pinched between the leading ends of the opposed legs and it is only necessary that clip 16 be urged in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 4 to secure the wound strand 40 onto the roller. Further, by providing that clip leg portion 30 and spherical member 18 have substantially the same curvature, it is assured that a smooth coupling of the clip to the roller will occur during the clamping step.

It will be realized that it is preferable to position the spring clip as close to the scalp as possible in order to achieve positive securing of the wound roller. The present invention facilitates this desired location of the clip prior to its being clamped over the roller and hair since the spherical member readily rotates about the longitudinal axis of roller 12.

Finally, as the spring clip 16 is urged over the hair 40 as shown in FIG. 5, the spherical member 18 assumes the position shown in FIG. 5 and moves along with the clip longitudinally within the roller 12.

Thus, it is seen that the roller-spring clip assembly described above eliminates any problems previously encountered with respect to misplacing or dropping spring clips such as bobby pins during the hair setting operation. Since the spherical member is substantially wholly contained within the interior of the roller and the spring clip is positionable in a direction transverse to the axis of the roller, any problems associated with interference with adjacent rollers is eliminated. The apparatus may be adapted to any size roller and/or spring clip. The spring clip may be rotated to any position along the circumference of the roller in order to assure a secure clamp. When not in use, the spring clip and spherical member can be stored within the roller thereby making for a compact unit which is easily packaged. Additionally, the present invention eliminates the necessity of manually separating the legs of the spring clip during the clasping step since it is evident from the above-described operation that by virtue of the action of the spherical member the edge of the roller will always become positioned between the diverging ends of the spring clip.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the member 18 need not be perfectly spherical, but may be somewhat modified in shape. Further, the curvature of the leading end of the spring clip need not be exactly as described so long as diverging portions are provided. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for use in curling a strand of hair comprising:

a hollow cylindrical member over which the strand of hair is wound, said cylindrical member having at least one open end and having a uniform internal diameter throughout the length of said cylindrical member, a clip assembly including a spring clip defined by a pair of resilient opposed legs integrally connected at their trailing ends and separated at their leading ends, means freely rotatably connecting said clip assembly to said cylindrical member open end so that said spring clip legs are freely rotatable in a plane generally transverse to the cylindrical axis of said cylindrical member and located adjacent said cylindrical member open end, said freely rotatably connecting means including a spherical member of slightly smaller diameter than said cylindrical member uniform internal diameter, said spherical member being axially slidably mounted within said cylindrical member and also being freely rotatably mounted within said cylindrical member at said cylindrical member open end, and means pivotally connecting the leading end of one of said spring clip legs to said spherical member.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein a slot is formed in said spherical member and a pin is fixed therein which traverses said slot and wherein the leading end of one of the opposed legs of said clip has an eye formed thereon, said pin passing through said eye whereby said clip is pivotally mounted thereto.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 further including means located on said open end of said cylindrical member for limiting the longitudinal movement of said spherical member.

4. A device as recited in claim 2 wherein said pin is mounted eccentrically relative to a diameter of said spherical member.

5. A device as recited in claim 2 wherein said leading end of said one of the opposed legs has a curved configuration so that the ends of said clip diverge from each other towards their free ends whereby movement of said clip into clamping relationship with said cylinder is facilitated.

6. A device as recited in claim 3 wherein said limiting means include an annular rib formed on the interior surface of at least one end of said cylindrical member defining a diameter smaller than the diameter of said spherical member to retain the latter in said cylindrical member.

7. A device as recited in claim 3 wherein said limiting means is located substantially at the edge of at least one end of said cylindrical member and contacts said spherical member close to the major circumference thereof so that a substantial portion of said spherical member is extendably outside of said cylindrical member beyond the leading edge thereof.

8. A device as recited in claim 5 wherin the curvature of said leading end of said one of the opposed fingers is substantially the same as the curvature of the surface of said spherical member, said leading end adapted to attain a position wherein it substantially coincides with the surface of said spherical member.