Hair Curling System and Method that Utilizes Bi-Stable Ribbon Springs
OwnerPaula Joyce Kraszewski, Robert Alan Butkiewiczinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for curling a lock of hair. A hair curling assembly contains a bi-stable ribbon spring. The ribbon spring is biased into a coiled configuration. The ribbon spring has positional stability in both its coiled configuration and its linear configuration. The ribbon spring is manipulated into its linear configuration within the hair curling assembly. The hair curling assembly is then positioned proximate the lock of hair to be curled. The ribbon spring is triggered back to its coiled configuration. The lock of hair winds with the ribbon spring into its coiled configuration, therein forming a curl in the lock of hair.
Claims19
A method of curling a lock of hair, comprising the steps of:
- providing a bi-stable ribbon spring that is biased into a coiled configuration, wherein said ribbon spring stores energy when unwound from said coiled configuration into a linear configuration, and wherein said ribbon spring has positional stability in both said coiled configuration and said linear configuration;
- manipulating said ribbon spring into said linear configuration;
- positioning said ribbon spring proximate the lock of hair;
- moving said ribbon spring out of said linear configuration, wherein said ribbon spring loses said positional stability and automatically winds into said coiled configuration, and wherein said lock of hair winds with said ribbon spring into said coiled configuration, therein forming a curl in the lock of hair.
A method of curling a lock of hair, comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible casing;
- joining a bi-stable ribbon spring to said flexible casing, wherein said ribbon spring is biased into a coiled configuration and stores energy when unwound from said coiled configuration into a linear configuration, and wherein said ribbon spring has positional stability in both said coiled configuration and said linear configuration;
- positioning the lock of hair proximate said flexible casing when said ribbon spring is in said linear configuration;
- manipulating said flexible casing to cause said ribbon spring to lose said positional stability and automatically wind into said coiled configuration, and wherein said flexible casing and the lock of hair winds with said ribbon spring into said coiled configuration, therein forming a curl in the lock of hair.
A hair curling assembly, comprising:
- a ribbon spring biased into a coiled configuration that stores energy when unwound from said coiled configuration into a linear configuration, wherein said ribbon spring has positional stability in both said coiled configuration and said linear configuration;
- a flexible casing that retains said ribbon spring and alters form with said ribbon spring as said ribbon spring moves between said coiled configuration and said linear configuration, wherein said flexible casing has a first flap and a second flap that are joined along a common seam so that said first flap can be selectively positioned atop said second flap as said flexible casing moves with said ribbon spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.