US4992267A — Hair straightening composition and system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 136 words

An improved aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 14 comprising in dissolved admixture at least two active hair-straightening agents, said composition comprising about 1 to about 2.5 weight percent on a total composition weight basis of an alkali metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide as a main hair-straightening agent and a less amount of an auxiliary hair-straightening agent that is a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available and is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine, and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups thereof substituted, said auxiliary agent being in a free base form or in a mineral acid salt form thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 136 words

An improved aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 14 comprising in dissolved admixture at least two active hair-straightening agents, said composition comprising about 1 to about 2.5 weight percent on a total composition weight basis of an alkali metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide as a main hair-straightening agent and a less amount of an auxiliary hair-straightening agent that is a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available and is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine, and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups thereof substituted, said auxiliary agent being in a free base form or in a mineral acid salt form thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 1 wherein the hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent comprises about 0.1 to about 1.5 weight percent of the total weight of the composition.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 1 wherein the hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, N-substituted derivatives of cysteine, lower alkyl esters of cysteine having up to about three carbon atoms in the alkyl group, homocysteine, homocysteine thiolactone and N-substituted derivatives of homocysteine thiolactone alone or in admixture.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 1 wherein the hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent is cysteine.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 2 wherein the sodium hydroxide comprises about 1.5 to about 2.25 weight percent and the hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent comprises about 0.25 to about 1.0 weight percent of the total weight of the composition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 6 wherein the hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent is cysteine.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 14 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary hair-straightening agent is cysteine hydrochloride.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

In a method of straightening hair with a no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition in which the hair-straightening composition is applied to the hair and the hair is physically smoothed, rinsed, shampooed, set and dried, the improvement which comprises using as the active hair-straightener the composition of claim 1.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 133 words

In an improved no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 14 and containing an effective amount of sodium hydroxide as the active hair straightening agent, the improvement comprising the inclusion of about 0.1 to about 1.5 weight percent on a total composition weight basis of an auxiliary hair-straightening agent that is a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available and is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine, and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups thereof substituted, said auxiliary agent being in a free base form or in a mineral acid salt form thereof, the amount of said auxiliary hair-straightening agent being less than the amount of sodium hydroxide.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 133 words

In an improved no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 14 and containing an effective amount of sodium hydroxide as the active hair straightening agent, the improvement comprising the inclusion of about 0.1 to about 1.5 weight percent on a total composition weight basis of an auxiliary hair-straightening agent that is a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available and is selected from the group consisting of cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine, and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups thereof substituted, said auxiliary agent being in a free base form or in a mineral acid salt form thereof, the amount of said auxiliary hair-straightening agent being less than the amount of sodium hydroxide.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary hair-straightening agent is selected derivatives of cysteine, lower alkyl esters of cysteine having up to about three carbon atoms in the alkyl group, homocysteine, homocysteine thiolactone and N-substituted derivatives of homocysteine thiolactone alone or in admixture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 13 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary hair-straightening agent is cysteine.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 12 wherein sodium hydroxide comprises about 1 to about 2.5 weight percent of the total weight of the composition.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 12 wherein the cysteine is incorporated in the form of cysteine hydrochloride.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 49 words

A no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 13.5 comprising, as the active hair-straightening agent, a mixture of about 1.5 to 2.2 weight percent sodium hydroxide and about 0.25 to about 1 weight percent cysteine, based on the total weight of the composition.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

A no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition having a pH of between about 12 and about 13.5 comprising, as the active hair-straightening agent, a mixture of about 1.5 to 2.2 weight percent sodium hydroxide and about 0.25 to about 1 weight percent cysteine, based on the total weight of the composition.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The hair-straightening composition of claim 15 wherein the cysteine is incorporated in the form of cysteine hydrochloride.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 47 words

In a method of straightening hair with a no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition in which the hair-straightening composition is applied to the hair and the hair is physically smoothed, rinsed, shampooed, set and dried, the improvement which comprises using as the active hair-straightener the composition of claim 13.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 164 words

An improved no-base hair-straightening system in at least two packages comprising: (a) a first package comprising an aqueous composition having a pH between about 12 and about 14 containing, as a hair-straightening agent, sodium hydroxide which comprises between about 1 and about 2.5 weight percent based on the total weight of a hair-straightener to be applied to the hair; and (b) a second package including an auxiliary hair-straightening agent comprising a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available from the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups substituted present in a free base form or as a mineral acid salt thereof in an amount sufficient to form the hair-straightener when the contents of the second package are admixed with the contents of the first package, the amount of auxiliary hair-straightening agent being less than the amount of sodium hydroxide in the admixture.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 164 words

An improved no-base hair-straightening system in at least two packages comprising: (a) a first package comprising an aqueous composition having a pH between about 12 and about 14 containing, as a hair-straightening agent, sodium hydroxide which comprises between about 1 and about 2.5 weight percent based on the total weight of a hair-straightener to be applied to the hair; and (b) a second package including an auxiliary hair-straightening agent comprising a hair keratin-disulfide reducing agent having a sulfhydryl functional group available from the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine, water-soluble homologs of cysteine and water-soluble derivatives of cysteine having none, one or both of the polar amino and carboxy acid groups substituted present in a free base form or as a mineral acid salt thereof in an amount sufficient to form the hair-straightener when the contents of the second package are admixed with the contents of the first package, the amount of auxiliary hair-straightening agent being less than the amount of sodium hydroxide in the admixture.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 18 wherein the auxiliary hair-straightening agent comprises about 0.1 to about 1.5 weight percent based on the total weight of the admixture.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 43 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 18 wherein the sodium hydroxide in the first package comprises about 1.5 to about 2.2 weight percent and the auxiliary hair-straightening agent comprises about 0.25 to about 1 weight percent based on the total weight of the hair-straightener.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 52 words

In a method of straightening hair with a no-base aqueous hair-straightening composition in which the hair-straightening composition is applied to the hair and the is hair physically smoothed, rinsed, shampooed, set and dried, the improvement which comprises using as the active hair-straightener the composition obtained with the hair-straightening system of claim 14.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 13 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 18 wherein the auxiliary hair-straightening agent is cysteine.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 22 wherein the cysteine is incorporated in the form of cysteine hydrochloride.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 14 wherein the contents of the first package are in an emulsion cream form before being admixed with the contents of the second package.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 24 wherein the contents of the second package are in a substantially dry powder form before being admixed with the contents of the first package.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 29 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 24 wherein the contents of the second package are in an aqueous liquid form before being admixed with the contents of the first package.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 16 words

The hair-straightening system of claim 20 wherein the contents of the second package include cosmetic adjuvants.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-02-11	1994-08-13	1995-02-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-02-11	1998-08-13	1999-02-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-02-11	2002-08-13	2003-02-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Hair straightening composition and system

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