An improved basin system adapted for use in hair salons

Abstract

An improved basin system is adapted for use in hair salons. For example, embodiments have been developed to provide a hair wash basin that allows for increased efficiency and reduced adverse effects when washing and/or otherwise working with a person's hair. Embodiments provide wash basins having a central cavity in which a human subject's hair hangs under the influence of gravity, the central cavity being externally accessible by way of a movable panel member (for example, a hinged panel member). This enables the basin to be used for washing of hair (with the panel in a closed configuration) and for accessing the hair to perform various treatments and other actions (with the panel in an open configuration).

1 . A basin system configured for washing of human hair, the basin system including:
 an elongate pillar member, the pillar member having a sidewall that defines a central vertical cavity, wherein the pillar member is configured to be mounted to a surface such that fluid flows through the central vertical cavity into a drain;   a collar member that is mounted at a top end of the pillar member, wherein the collar member is configured to support a head and/or neck of a human subject, such that whilst the head and/or neck of the human subject is being supported distal regions of long hair of the human subject vertically hang under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity;   a vertically-extending opening defined in the sidewall, wherein the opening is formed such that the of long hair of the human subject vertically hanging under influence of gravity within the central vertical cavity is accessible through the opening;   a panel member configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall, wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between:
 (i) an open configuration in which the moveable panel member is positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to expose the opening; and 
 (ii) a closed configuration in which the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 500 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 800 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central vertical cavity is configured to enable free hanging of the hair of the human subject up to a length of at least 1000 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the movable panel member is hingedly mounted to the sidewall along an edge defining one vertical side of the opening. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the movable panel is magnetically mounted to the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the movable panel is slidably mounted to the sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in the closed configuration the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the sidewall such that water entering the elongate pillar member from above is caused to flow through a base end of the pillar member into the drain. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the collar member is configured to support the head and/or neck of the human subject when the human subject is in a substantially horizontal position. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a substantially horizontal position is a position in which the upper torso of the human subject is inclined with respect to horizontal by less than 30 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the collar member includes a vertical opening, which extends the vertical opening in the sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the panel member is configured to be movably mounted to the sidewall, wherein the movable panel member is movable thereby to enable the basin system to be transitioned between:
 (i) an open configuration, wherein the moveable panel member is positioned with respect to the sidewall thereby to expose the opening in the sidewall and the collar; and   (ii) a closed configuration, wherein the moveable panel bridges the opening thereby to seal closed the opening in the sidewall and at least partially seal closed the opening in the collar.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the panel member is shaped to bridge the opening in the sidewall and at least partially bridge the opening in the collar. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 30% the height of the collar. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least partially bridge the opening in the collar includes transversely bridging the opening in the collar for at least 60% the height of the collar. 
     
     
         16 . A wash basin suitable for long hair, which has a depth greater than the hair to be treated wherein the basin includes a removable panel, which enables access to the hair during treatment.