Hair Curler Device and Methods of Use

Abstract

A unitary device for curling hair that can be described as comprising three portions: an upper head portion having a generally circular shape with a throughbore in its general radial center; an elongated body portion integrally extending from the upper head portion and having a generally shaft-like shape with at least one notch along its longitudinal axis; and a lower tip portion integrally extending from the elongated body portion and generally tapering to a tip. Furthermore, the hair curler device is capable being resiliently looped along a generally lengthwise axis and locked in a looped configuration when at least one notch is passed through the throughbore.

1 ) A unitary single piece hair curler device comprising,
 an upper head portion, the upper head portion having a generally circular shape with a throughbore extending generally through a center of the upper head portion;   an elongated body portion, the elongated body portion integrally extending from the upper head portion and being generally shaft-like in shape with at least one notch along the longitudinal axis; and   a lower tip portion, the lower tip portion integrally extending from the elongated body portion and generally tapering to a tip,   wherein the hair curler device is capable being resiliently looped along a generally lengthwise axis by a user inserting the lower tip portion through the throughbore of the upper head portion and pulling the lower tip portion and elongated body portion substantially through the throughbore whereby the lower tip portion and the elongated body portion resiliently deform when passed through the throughbore, the hair curler device adapted to substantially lock into a looped configuration when the at least one notch substantially aligns with the throughbore and the lower tip portion and the elongated body portion resiliently return to their original shape, and the hair curler device is capable of resiliently returning to its original lengthwise configuration when the lower tip portion and elongated body portion are removed from the throughbore.   
   
   
       2 ) The hair curler device of  claim 1  wherein the hair curler device is comprised of closed-cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam. 
   
   
       3 ) The hair curler device of  claim 2  further comprising a latex coating encapsulating the surfaces of the hair curler device. 
   
   
       4 ) The hair curler device of  claim 1  wherein a width of the lower tip portion proximal a distal end is less than the diameter of the throughbore of the upper head portion, a width of the elongated body section at the at least one notch is less than the diameter of the throughbore, and a width of the elongated body section on either side of the at least one notch is greater than the diameter of the throughbore. 
   
   
       5 ) The hair curler device of  claim 4  wherein the hair curler device is comprised of closed-cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam. 
   
   
       6 ) The hair curler device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch comprises at least one pair of opposing notches. 
   
   
       7 ) The hair curler device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one notch comprises at least two pairs of opposing notches. 
   
   
       8 ) The hair curler device of  claim 1  wherein,
 the upper head portion is generally shaped as a sphere;   the elongated body portion is generally cylindrical in shape comprising,
 at least one arcuate notch substantially around the circumference of the cylindrical elongated body portion; and 
   the lower tip portion is generally conical in shape tapering to a general point.   
   
   
       9 ) A one-piece hair curler device, the device being completely constructed of closed-cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam comprising,
 an upper head portion, the upper head portion having a generally circular shape with a diameter of about 1.00 inch and a length of about 1.13 inches, and a throughbore with a diameter of about 0.40 inches extending generally through a center of the upper head portion;   an elongated body portion, the elongated body portion integrally extending from the upper head portion, having a width of 0.50 inches and a length of about 3.88 inches, and being generally shaft-like in shape with a at least one notch along the longitudinal axis; and   a lower tip portion, the lower tip portion integrally extending from the elongated body portion, having a width of about 0.50 inches and a length of about 1.88 inches, and generally tapering to a tip,   wherein the hair curler device is capable being resiliently looped along a generally lengthwise axis by a user inserting the lower tip portion through the throughbore of the upper head portion and pulling the lower tip portion and elongated body portion substantially through the throughbore whereby the lower tip portion and the elongated body portion resiliently deform when passed through the through bore, the hair curler device adapted to substantially lock into a looped configuration when the at least one notch substantially aligns with the throughbore and the lower tip portion and the elongated body portion resiliently return to their original shape, and the hair curler device is capable of resiliently returning to its original lengthwise configuration when the lower tip portion and elongated body portion are removed from the throughbore.   
   
   
       10 ) The one-piece hair curler device of  claim 9  further comprising a latex coating around the surfaces of the one-piece hair curler device. 
   
   
       11 ) The one-piece hair curler device of  claim 9  wherein the at least one notch comprises,
 a first pair of arcuate notches, each of the first pair of notches being about 2.13 inches in length from the tip of the lower tip portion from the radial center of the juxtaposed notches and indenting about 0.13 inches into the elongated body at the radial center from each side edge; and   a second pair of arcuate notches, each of the second pair of notches being about 1.13 inches in length from the tip of the lower tip portion from the radial center of the juxtaposed notches and indenting about 0.13 inches into the elongated body at the radial center from each side edge.   
   
   
       12 ) The one-piece hair curler device of  claim 9 , wherein the device is fabricated by die cutting the device from a sheet of foam. 
   
   
       13 ) A method of curling hair using a plurality of hair curler devices, each of the hair curler devices comprising, (i) an upper head portion, the upper head portion having a generally circular shape with a throughbore in the general radial center of the upper head portion, (ii) an elongated body portion, the elongated body portion integrally extending from the upper head portion and being generally shaft-like in shape with at least one notch along the longitudinal axis, and (iii) a lower tip portion, the lower tip portion integrally extending from the elongated body portion and generally tapering to a tip, wherein the hair curler device is capable being resiliently looped along a generally lengthwise axis and locked in a looped configuration, the method comprising:
 prepping a user's hair by parting a user's hair into a plurality of sections;   wrapping a section of the user's hair around the surface area of the elongated body portion along the longitudinal axis;   locking the hair curler device by placing the lower tip portion of the hair curler device through the throughbore of the upper head portion of the hair curler device and pulling the lower tip portion through the throughbore until the at least one notch of the elongated body portion is substantially aligned with the throughbore;   repeating said wrapping operation and said locking until all of the plurality of sections of the user's hair have been wrapped and locked; and   setting the curls in the user's hair by leaving the plurality of hair curler devices locked in the user's hair.   
   
   
       14 ) The method of  claim 13  wherein the user's hair is slightly damp prior to said prepping. 
   
   
       15 ) The method of  claim 13  further comprising spraying the user's hair with a liquid during said prepping. 
   
   
       16 ) The method of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid used to spray the user's hair is water. 
   
   
       17 ) The method of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid used to spray the user's hair is a hair setting solution. 
   
   
       18 ) The method of  claim 13 , wherein said setting is performed by directing heat to the user's hair. 
   
   
       19 ) The method of  claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the throughbores of the curler devices are smaller than the width of the elongated body sections except at the location of the notches. 
   
   
       20 ) The method of  claim 13 , wherein the user's hair is styled in dreadlocks.