Adjustable heatless hair curler with decorative elements and methods for use thereof

Abstract

A heatless animal-styled hair curler provides an adjustable-length headband for fitting different-sized heads, two adjacent curling rods for wrapping hair, and an animal-themed exterior surface which mimics the look of an animal when worn in order to encourage use by a child or young adult. The adjustable-length headband is formed from a thin, flat piece of elastic material which comfortably rests flush and secure on top of a user's head, and which is adjustable via a buttonhole elastic adjustment mechanism accessible from an opening in an underside portion of the exterior surface. Cylindrical curling rods made from a polyester fiber fill material are attached with each end of the headband to provide a curling area where a user can wrap their hair to create curls. The animal-themed surface includes patterns and shapes extending from the headband, such as ears or eyes, to mimic the look of an animal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable length heatless hair curler, comprising:
 an adjustable-length headband with a first end and a second end;   a first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler attached with the first end of the adjustable-length headband;   a second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler attached with the second end of the adjustable-length headband; and   an animal-themed decorative exterior surface covering the adjustable length headband and the pair of semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curlers which mimics the look of an animal.   
     
     
         2 . The hair curler of  claim 1 , wherein adjustable-length headband is formed from a first portion of buttonhole elastic and a second portion of non-buttonhole elastic with a button affixed thereto which is configured to removably attach with a button hole in the buttonhole elastic. 
     
     
         3 . The hair curler of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustable-length headband includes an opening in a center underside portion of the exterior surface to access the buttonhole elastic. 
     
     
         4 . The hair curler of  claim 1 , wherein the first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler are formed from a polyester foam fill material. 
     
     
         5 . The hair curler of  claim 4 , wherein an amount of foam fill material in each of the semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curlers can be adjusted. 
     
     
         6 . The hair curler of  claim 1 , wherein the animal-themed decorative exterior surface is a fabric material with an animal print pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The hair curler of  claim 6 , wherein the animal-themed decorative exterior surface includes at least one animal-themed feature extending from the adjustable-length headband. 
     
     
         8 . The hair curler of  claim 7 , wherein at least one animal-themed feature includes at least one of: a set of ears, a set of eyes, or one or more horns. 
     
     
         9 . The hair curler of  claim 8 , wherein adjusting the length of the adjustable-length headband also adjusts the spacing of the set of ears or set of eyes. 
     
     
         10 . The hair curler of  claim 1 , further comprising a first removable elastic band which surrounds an end portion of the first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and a second removable elastic band which surrounds an end portion of the second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler. 
     
     
         11 . A method of curling hair, the method comprising:
 adjusting a length of an elastic headband;   positioning the adjustable-length headband laterally across a top portion of a user's head such that a first end and a second end are disposed on opposing left and right sides of the user's head;   twisting a first portion of the user's hair around a first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler attached with the first end of the adjustable-length headband; and   twisting a second portion of the user's hair around a second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler attached with the second end of the adjustable-length headband.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adjusting the length of the elastic headband by repositioning a button from a non-buttonhole elastic portion into one of a plurality of holes in a non-buttonhole elastic portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising accessing the button via an opening in a center underside portion of the exterior surface to access the buttonhole elastic. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising adjusting an amount of fill of the first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising securing a first removable elastic band around an end portion of the first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and the first portion of the user's hair, and securing a second removable elastic band around an end portion of the second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and the second portion of the user's hair. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing an adjustable length heatless hair curler, the method comprising:
 forming an adjustable-length headband with a first end and a second end;   attaching a first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler with the first end of the adjustable-length headband;   attaching a second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler with the second end of the adjustable-length headband; and   covering the adjustable length headband and the pair of semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curlers with an animal-themed decorative exterior surface to mimic the look of an animal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the adjustable-length headband from a first portion of buttonhole elastic and a second portion of non-buttonhole elastic. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the first semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler and second semi-rigid cylindrically shaped hair curler from a polyester foam fill. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the animal-themed decorative exterior surface from a fabric material with an animal print pattern, and forming at least one animal-themed feature to extend from the adjustable-length headband.