Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A hair processing cap for applying heat to hair on the head of a human being comprising: flexible cap means having an outer cover, an inner liner, and a hollow interior between the outer cover and the inner liner; the cap means having a generally spherically-shaped closed position to conform to the shape of the head and to cover the area of the head within the hairline, the cap means in said closed position having a lower peripheral edge encircling the head in the temple area thereof; means for opening the cap comprising an elongated first split extending inwardly from the peripheral edge at one side of the cap, and an elongated second split extending inwardly from the peripheral edge at an opposite side of the cap; each split forming a separate flexible and independently movable flap; fastening means on each flap; and cooperating fastening means located on a portion of the cap means adjacent each respective flap, the fastening means enabling the flaps to be selectively attached to different areas of the cap in the vicinity of the first and second splits to vary the three-dimensional contour of the cap means to conform to the shape of the head; and electrical heating means in the interior of the cap means and disposed over a substantial area of the cap means for directing heat outwardly to the portion of the head covered by the cap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
A hair processing cap for applying heat to hair on the head of a human being comprising: flexible cap means having an outer cover, an inner liner, and a hollow interior between the outer cover and the inner liner; the cap means having a generally spherically-shaped closed position to conform to the shape of the head and to cover the area of the head within the hairline, the cap means in said closed position having a lower peripheral edge encircling the head in the temple area thereof; means for opening the cap comprising an elongated first split extending inwardly from the peripheral edge at one side of the cap, and an elongated second split extending inwardly from the peripheral edge at an opposite side of the cap; each split forming a separate flexible and independently movable flap; fastening means on each flap; and cooperating fastening means located on a portion of the cap means adjacent each respective flap, the fastening means enabling the flaps to be selectively attached to different areas of the cap in the vicinity of the first and second splits to vary the three-dimensional contour of the cap means to conform to the shape of the head; and electrical heating means in the interior of the cap means and disposed over a substantial area of the cap means for directing heat outwardly to the portion of the head covered by the cap.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which the first split is in the vicinity of the right temple and the second split is in the vicinity of the left temple.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which the cooperating fastening means further comprises a first type of thistle-cloth material covering each flap, and a cooperating second type of thistle-cloth material overlying said adjacent portion of the cap means so that the flaps can be selectively attached at different areas of the fastening means along each split.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which each split traverses a distance substantially less than the height of the cap means in its closed position, said height being defined by the distance from the top of the cap means to the peripheral edge of the cap means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cap according to claim 4 in which each split extends inwardly by a distance less than about half the height of the cap means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which each flap has an inside face and the said adjacent portion of the cap means has an outside face, and in which the cooperating fastening means are attached to the inside face of the flap and the outside face of the cap means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which the heating means comprises a flexible sheet-like dielectric material, and a thin sheet-like conductive material overlying the dielectric sheet, and means for applying electrical energy to the conductive material to generate heat directed outwardly from the conductive material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cap according to claim 7 in which the dielectric material comprises a layer covering a substantial area between the outer cover and the inner liner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cap according to claim 8 in which the conductive material comprises an electric circuit formed from an electrical resistance heating film overlying the dielectric sheet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cap according to claim 9 in which the heatng film is a metal foil distributed in a meandering pattern covering a substantial area between the outer cover and the inner liner.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A cap according to claim 10 in which the dielectric is a sheet of aramid paper.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cap according to claim 10 in which the heating means comprises a pair of said dielectric sheets, and in which the heating film is sandwiched between the dielectric sheets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A cap according to claim 10 including a flexible layer of a heat-resistant, heat-insulative material between the outer cover and the heating film.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A cap according to claim 13 in which the insulative material comprises a layer of resilient plastic foam material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cap according to claim 10 including means for adjustably selecting the temperature of the heat generated by the electrical heating means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
A cap according to claim 15 in which the heat selecting means includes thermostat means disposed within the interior of the cap means for sensing the temperature of heat generated by the electrical circuit means; and means responsive to the temperature sensed by the thermostat means to control the temperature of the heat generated by the electrical circuit means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cap according to claim 6 in which the heating means is distributed throughout the interior of the cap means to generate a selected heat gradient within the cap means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
A cap according to claim 10 in which the cap means covers the front crown, top crown, nape, left temple, and right temple areas of the head; and the conductive film is distributed throughout the interior of the cap covering each of said areas of the head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cap according to claim 18 in which the heating film is distributed throughout the interior of the cap in a selected pattern to generate a predetermined heat density in each of said areas.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A cap according to claim 19 in which said pattern is selected so that the heat generated in the front crown, top crown and nap areas is greater than that generated in the left and right temple areas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
A cap according to claim 7 in which the outer cover comprises a heat-insulative imperforate material, and the inner liner comprises an air and liquid impermeable, heat-resistant, imperforate material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A cap according to claim 21 in which the dielectric is an imperforate sheet resistant to prolonged temperatures in the range of about 130° F. to 195° F. without appreciable disruption of the flexibility of the dielectric sheet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
73 words
A cap according to claim 19 in which said pattern is selected so that the heat density generated in the front crown area is greater than the heat density generated in the top crown and the nape areas, and the heat density generated in the nape area is greater than the top crown area, and the heat density generated in the top crown area is greater than that generated in the temple areas.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which the electrical heating means comprises a flexible sheet of an electrically insulative, high temperature-resistant fiberous paper material, an electrically conductive heating film bonded to the flexible sheet, and means for applying electrical energy to the conductive film to generate said heat directed outwardly from the cap.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cap according to claim 24 in which the fiberous paper material is sufficiently heat-resistant to withstand prolonged use at hair processing temperatures within the range of about 130° to about 195° F.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 25 in which the flexible sheet comprises aramide paper.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cap according to claim 24 including means for operating the electrically conductive heating film at a temperature of 185° F.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cap according to claim 24 in which the conductive heating film is sandwiched between a pair of said flexible sheets.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
A cap according to claim 1 in which the inner liner comprises an air-and liquid-impermeable, heat-resistant, imperforate material and the flexible sheet is disposed in the interior of the cap immediately adjacent the inner liner for essentially uninterrupted heat flow outwardly from the flexible sheet to the inner liner.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 29 in which each flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
147 words
A hair processing cap for applying heat to heat-activated permanent wave solutions applied to the hair on the head of a human being comprising: flexible cap means shaped to cover the area of the heat within the hairline, the cap means having an outer cover, an inner liner, and an open interior between the outer cover and the inner liner; and a flexible, sheet-like heating element disposed within the interior of the cap means for conforming to the shape of the head and for directing heat outwardly from the interior of the cap means to hair covering a selected area of the head; the heating element comprising a sheet of an electrically insulative, high temperature-resistant, fiberous paper material; an electrically conductive heating film bonded to the flexible sheet; and means for applying electrical energy to the conductive film to generate said heat directed outwardly from the cap.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
147 words
A hair processing cap for applying heat to heat-activated permanent wave solutions applied to the hair on the head of a human being comprising: flexible cap means shaped to cover the area of the heat within the hairline, the cap means having an outer cover, an inner liner, and an open interior between the outer cover and the inner liner; and a flexible, sheet-like heating element disposed within the interior of the cap means for conforming to the shape of the head and for directing heat outwardly from the interior of the cap means to hair covering a selected area of the head; the heating element comprising a sheet of an electrically insulative, high temperature-resistant, fiberous paper material; an electrically conductive heating film bonded to the flexible sheet; and means for applying electrical energy to the conductive film to generate said heat directed outwardly from the cap.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cap according to claim 31 in which the fiberous paper material is sufficiently heat-resistant to withstand prolonged use at hair processing temperatures within the range of about 130° F to about 195° F.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 32 in which the flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cap according to claim 31 including means for operating the electrically conductive heating film at a temperature of 185° F.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cap according to claim 31 in which the heating film is a metal foil in a meandering pattern covering a major surface area of the flexible sheet.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 35 in which the flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cap according to claim 31 in which the heating element comprises a pair of said flexible sheets; and in which the heating film is sandwiched between the flexible sheets.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 37 in which each flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
47 words
A cap according to claim 31 in which the inner liner comprises an-air and liquid-impermeable, heat-resistant, imperforate material; and the flexible sheet is disposed in the cap interior immediately adjacent the inner liner for essentially uninterrupted heat flow outwardly from the flexible sheet to the inner liner.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 39 in which the flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
95 words
A cap according to claim 31 in which the electrical heating film is distributed throughout the interior of the cap to cover the front crown, top crown, nape, and temple areas of the head; and the heating film is distributed in such a pattern to generate a greater heat density in the front crown that in the top crown and nape areas, and to generate a greater heat density in the nape area than the top crown area, and then to generate a greater heat density in the top crown area than the temple areas.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
14 words
A cap according to claim 41 in which the flexible sheet comprises aramid paper.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cap according to claim 41 including a pair of said flexible sheets; and in which the electrical heating film is sandwiched between the flexible sheets.