Expandable Roller

Abstract

A hair roller includes a longitudinally extending hair curling portion defined between a pair of opposed end members. The hair curling portion is expandable and retractable in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hair curling portion, in response to relative movement of the end members with respect to each other.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to hair rollers and, more particularly, to hair rollers with a reconfigurable hair curling surface.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]A typical hair roller comprises a cylindrical roller body with a hair curling surface configured for curling hair by heated contact. In use, a hair roller is heated first and then tresses of hair are wrapped around the roller body to form curls through heat conduction. In another type of hair rollers, tresses of hair are first wrapped on a roller and heat is then applied to the hair to be curled through heating of the roller body by inserting a heated rod into an axial aperture of the hair roller.[0003]Hair curling using conventional hair rollers is essentially by application of heat and tension to the hair being curled. The curling tension applied to the hair is largely obtained by subjecting the hair being curled to conform tightly to the curvature of the roller body. Although a hair roller sho...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]A hair roller having an expandable hair curling portion will provide a user an opportunity to tighten the engagement between the tresses of hair to be styled and the hair curling surface whereby an increased hair curling tension can be applied and the tresses of hair will follow the curvature of the hair roller more closely. On the other hand, the provision of a retractable hair curling portion facilitates easier separation between a hair roller and the hair after curling has been completed.

[0007]In an exemplary embodiment of this invention, the hair curling portion and the end members are arranged so that said hair curling portion is expandable and retractable in response to rotary movement of said end members relative to each other. A rotary movement provides a mechanical advantageous arrangement so that a user can adjust the expansion and retraction of the hair portion with ease.

[0008]The hair curling portion may be arranged to expand and retract gradually in response to movement of said end members relative to each other. A hair roller with a gradual expansion and retraction facility will afford a user an opportunity to select an appropriate curl tension and dimension suitable for specific purposes.

[0013]So that a hair roller can obtain operational heat from an external heated rod more efficiently, the rigid tube may be formed from a thermally conductive material.

[0014]To facilitate relative movement between the end members, at least one of said end members may be mounted on said rigid tube by threaded engagement.

Problems solved by technology

Although a hair roller should ideally engage tresses of hair tightly for maximum curling efficiency, it is noted that tresses of hair always lose some degree of curling tension after the tresses of hair have been wound on a conventional hair roller.

On the other hand, when tresses of hair are tightly engaged on a hair roller, it will be difficult to release the curled hair from the roller without adversely affecting the integrity of the curls.

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