Method and apparatus for curling hair

Abstract

A hair curler comprising a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and a removable rod extending through the body along the transverse axis thereof. The inventive curler enables a novel method of curling hair including the steps of curling the hair around the curler comprising a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and a removable rod extending through the body along the transverse axis thereof and securing the curled hair to the head of a user by inserting a rod through the body of the curler along the longitudinal axis thereof. In the illustrative embodiment, the cylindrical body is perforated and has multiple protrusions. The cylindrical body has a variable diameter with tapered ends. The diameter of the body is smaller in the middle section thereof. The rod is beaded and has bends therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A hair curler consisting essentially of:
 a cylindrical body having ends and an intermediate portion therebetween, said cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and   at least one unitary, rigid, removable rod extending through said body along said transverse axis thereof, said rod having a rounded end,   whereby said rod, when installed, engages the head of the user on one and only one end thereof and thereby secures the curler against counter-rotational motion until removed and   said hair curler is substantially obscured by the hair of the user when installed.   
     
     
         15 . The invention of claim  1  wherein said cylindrical body is perforated. 
     
     
         16 . The invention of claim  1  wherein said cylindrical body has protrusions. 
     
     
         17 . The invention of claim  1  wherein said cylindrical body has a variable diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The invention of  claim 17  wherein said diameter of said body is smaller in the intermediate portion thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The invention of claim  1  wherein said rod has beads on the ends thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The invention of claim  1  wherein said rod has bends. 
     
     
         21 . A hair curler consisting of:
 a cylindrical perforated body having two ends and an intermediate portion therebetween, said intermediate portion having a uniform diameter and said ends being tapered and having multiple protrusions, said cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and a variable diameter such that said body is smaller in the intermediate portion thereof and   one or more unitary, rigid, removable rods extending through the intermediate portion of said body along said transverse axis thereof, said rods having rounded ends,   whereby said rod, when installed, said rod engages the head of the user on one end thereof and thereby secures the curler against counter-rotational motion until removed and   said hair curler is substantially obscured by the hair of the user when installed.   
     
     
         22 . A method for curling hair including the steps of:
 curling hair in a first direction of rotation in a curler consisting of:
 a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis and 
 at least one unitary, rigid, removable rod extending through said body along said transverse axis thereof and 
   securing said curled hair to the head of a user by inserting said rod through the body of said curler along the transverse axis thereof,   whereby said rod, when installed, engages the head of the user on one rounded end thereof and thereby secures the curler against counter-rotational motion in a second direction until removed and   said hair curler is substantially obscured by the hair of the user when installed.