Toilet – Methods – Hair deformation or set
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-06
2001-03-13
Manahan, Todd E. (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Methods
Hair deformation or set
C132S227000, C132S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199558
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a device for the styling and/or drying of in particular wet hair, such as a hair roller, a curling wand or the like, including an exothermic material that is enclosed by a gas-permeable film.
Such a drying element and a method for its use are already known from EP 0 140 380 A2. This printed specification describes, inter alia, a hair roller whose gas-permeable enclosure performs the function of a roller body and holds the desiccant inside. The term gas-permeable enclosure as used in this application is understood to mean a gas-permeable film, a gas-permeable membrane or the like. As desiccant it is proposed to use in particular synthetic zeolites, which are characterized by a sufficiently high thermal and cyclic stability. After use, the drying elements are regenerated in the air by the action of heat and are thus ready to be used again. When water vapor is applied to the hair rollers and to the zeolite enclosed therein, because of the physical bonding of the water vapor the zeolite material emits adsorption heat which is intended to heat and dry the hair.
As practical tests have shown, the known hair roller is not particularly well suited for the drying and/or styling of wet hair. On the one hand, it results in an undesirably long drying period of an hour and more, and on the other hand the amount of heat emitted by the zeolite is not enough to heat the hair to a sufficiently high temperature.
The underlying object of the present invention is, by contrast, to further develop the device embodying the features initially referred to so that the user's hair is dried and/or styled within an acceptable period of time. In particular it is aimed to heat the hair to a temperature of approximately 35° C. or higher and to dry it to a residual moisture content of less than 6 to 10% within a period of less than approximately 45 minutes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a device incorporating the features initially referred to this object is accomplished basically in that a water-absorbent fabric or the like, for example, a synthetic fiber fabric is applied to the outer surface of the film at least in certain areas thereof, which fabric comes into direct contact with the hair when the device is used. Depending on the type of membrane, the type of carrier fabric and the degree of regeneration of the exothermic material, it is thereby possible to generate temperatures of approximately 50° to 90° C. in the exothermic material, and of approximately 35° to 50° C. in the hair, with the hair being dried within a period of between 30 and 45 minutes, approximately. The mode of operation of the device is as follows:
The wet hair, which is to be dried and/or styled, is surrounded by an atmosphere of water vapor. A high vapor pressure differential develops between the hair and the exothermic material on account of the high adsorption power of the exothermic material inside the device. The water vapor flows in between the fibers of the water-absorbent fabric and via the pores of the gas-permeable film to the exothermic material. The water vapor is bonded physically in the exothermic material, adsorption heat being emitted in the process. The device thus begins with the emission of heat automatically when wet hair is wound onto the hair roller, which in daily use is extremely advantageous. The more water molecules bonded in this process, the greater the amount of heat. Capillary water, that is, water in the liquid phase clinging, for example, to the surface of the wet hair, does not pass through the film because the film's permeability preferably applies only to water in the vapor phase. The heat generated in the exothermic material passes via the film into the fibers of the fabric mainly by thermal conduction. On the other hand, on their side facing the hair, these fibers take up capillary water from the surface of the strands of hair by diffusion, causing the fabric to swell. The taken up water travels through the fibers and reaches those areas heated by the heat emitted by the exothermic material. This results in the formation of vaporization points in the fabric. Driven by the existing vapor pressure differential, the water vapor finally passes through the film to the exothermic material where it is bonded and leads to a further emission of heat.
This device enables a gentle drying and/or styling of wet hair without an external source of heat as is the case, for example, with electrically heated appliances such as hair dryers or the like. Further advantages for the user are the agreeable sensation of temperature on his or her head, freedom of movement because cordless use is possible, noiseless operation, and the ability of the device to regenerate after use.
Advantageously, the fabric is constructed as a carrier fabric, and the film is laminated on the carrier fabric by means of an adhesive. It is an advantage for approximately 25% to 50%, preferably 35%, of the film surface to be covered with adhesive. In those areas of the film covered with the adhesive there results a particularly intimate connection of the fabric with the film, and a particularly good transfer of the heat emitted by the exothermic material to the fabric.
Advantageously, vaporization of the water taken up from the wet hair takes place in the fabric. A controlled water vapor atmosphere is thus built up directly adjacent to the gas-permeable film, ensuring a sufficiently high emission of heat from the exothermic material on the one hand, while on the other hand leading to faster drying of the wet hair through a continuous carrying off of the heat generated by the physical bonding in the exothermic material.
Advantageously, the fabric is thermally stable above a temperature of 180° C., approximately, and/or the fabric has a thickness of less than 0.3 to 0.7 mm, preferably 0.5 mm, and/or the water absorbency of the fabric lies in a range from 1 to 15 percent by weight, preferably 5 percent by weight. Practical tests have revealed that in particular aromatic polyamide and aramide, for example Nomex or Keflar (registered trademarks), find application as fabric material, a thickness of 0.35 mm to 0,5 mm, a water absorbency of 5 percent by weight, and a thermal stability at a temperature of over 200° C. having proven to be particularly advantageous.
According to a further advantageous aspect of the present invention, the film is configured as a water-vapor-permeable, microporous membrane.
The film is advantageously made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Such films are available from the company Gore, for example.
According to another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the film is impermeable to water and/or thermally stable at a temperature of over 180° C., approximately, and/or has a thickness of less than 0.1 mm, preferably 0.05 mm, and/or possesses a porosity of greater than 70%, approximately, preferably 90%. The fact that the film is impermeable to water rules out any contact of the exothermic material with capillary water, that is, non-vaporous water, whereby a longer useful life of the exothermic material, for example the zeolite, is ensured. The high thermal stability of the film and of the fabric as well proves to be an advantage for the regeneration of the exothermic material by externally supplied heat, because the higher the regeneration temperature the shorter the regeneration period and the greater the degree of regeneration. The small film thickness of less than 0.1 mm combines with the equally small fabric thickness of 0.5 mm, approximately, to ensure that the hair wound on the device is only at a very small relative distance to the exothermic material, thus ensuring good thermal contact. The film's high porosity of greater than 70% or of 90% ensures that the water vapor flowing from the wet hair in the direction of the exothermic material as the result of the vapor pressure differential does not encounter any substantial obstruction in its path by the membrane. The water vapor molecules are allowed to pass through the membrane practically unhindered and be bonded physical
Herber Peter
Mothrath Georg
Schmidt Heike
Braun Aktiengesellschaft
Manahan Todd #E.
Podszus Edward S.
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