HAIR TREATMENT PROCESS AND SYSTEM

Abstract

System for washing the hair, including a first reservoir for receiving a first liquid (L1) constituted by or comprising water, a second reservoir for receiving a second liquid (L2) comprising a treatment product diluted in water in an amount of less than or equal to 2.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the second liquid (L2), a shower head with a supply rate of between 0.3 and 5 L/min, configured to deliver a jet of droplets onto the hair, and a means for supplying the shower head with liquid, taken exclusively from one or other of the reservoirs, with an overpressure.

Claims

1. A system for washing the hair, including: a first reservoir for receiving a first liquid constituted by or comprising water, a second reservoir for receiving a second liquid comprising a treatment product diluted in water in an amount of less than or equal to 2.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the second liquid, a shower head with a supply rate of between 0.3 and 5 L/min, configured to deliver a jet of droplets onto the hair, a means for supplying the shower head with liquid, taken exclusively from one or other of the reservoirs, with an overpressure.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, the overpressure being greater than or equal to 2 bar.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, including a pump for supplying the shower head with liquid to be dispensed with overpressure.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, including a pipe with a height difference of greater than or equal to 20 m for supplying the shower head with liquid to be dispensed with overpressure.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, including a tube to be dipped in one or other of said reservoirs as a function of the liquid that it is desired to dispense on the hair.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, including at least one valve for selectively connecting one or other of the reservoirs to the shower head.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, including a tank for recovering the liquid used for treating the hair.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, the recovery tank being constituted by the first or the second reservoir.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, the first reservoir containing water, and/or the second reservoir containing at least one diluted surfactant.

10. (canceled)

11. The system as claimed in claim 9, the amount of surfactant(s) in the second reservoir being between 0.1% and 2.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the second liquid.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, the amount of surfactant(s) in the second reservoir being between 0.2% and 1.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the second liquid.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, the capacity of the first reservoir being between 1 and 50 L and/or the capacity of the second reservoir being between 1 and 50 L.

14. (canceled)

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, the supply rate of the shower head being between 0.5 and 2.8 L/min and/or the shower head including outlet orifices for the liquid to be dispensed, with a diameter of less than 1 mm.

16. (canceled)

17. A process for washing the hair, including the steps consisting in: a) taking from a reservoir a treatment liquid including a treatment product diluted in water, b) placing this treatment liquid under pressure to dispense it on the hair in the form of droplets, c) taking up a rinsing liquid constituted by or including water, d) placing this rinsing liquid under pressure to dispense it on the hair in the form of droplets.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17, the rinsing liquid being taken from a reservoir.

19. The process as claimed in claim 17, the rinsing liquid not being under pressure when it is taken.

20. The process as claimed in claim 17, the hair first being moistened by performing steps c) and d), washed by performing steps a) and b), and then rinsed by performing steps c) and d) again.

21. The process as claimed in claim 17, the liquid dispensed on the hair being recovered and recycled.

22. The process as claimed in claim 17, the treatment liquid including a total mass concentration of surfactant(s) of between 0.1% and 2.5%.

23. The process as claimed in claim 17, the flow rate at which the rinsing liquid (L1) is dispensed on the hair being between 0.5 and 2.8 L/min and/or the flow rate at which the treatment liquid is dispensed on the hair being between 0.5 and 2.8 L/min and/or the rinsing liquid being taken from a reservoir with a capacity of between 1 and 50 L.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0185] The invention may be understood more clearly on reading the following detailed description of nonlimiting implementation examples thereof and on examining the appended drawing, in which:

[0186] FIG. 1 is a partial schematic representation of an example of a hair treatment system according to the invention,

[0187] FIG. 2 illustrates the choice of the liquid to be dispensed by moving a suction tube,

[0188] FIG. 3 illustrates the pressurizing of the liquid upstream of the shower head by means of a height difference, and

[0189] FIG. 4 illustrates the recycling of the liquid dispensed on the hair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0190] FIG. 1 shows one example of a system 1 according to the invention, including first 10 and second 20 reservoirs containing, respectively, first L1 and second L2 liquids to be dispensed.

[0191] The reservoirs 10 and 20 are connected via pipes communicating with an electrovalve 30, which is itself connected to the outlet of a pump 31 via a third pipe.

[0192] The pump 31 is connected to a shower head 32 via any type of pipe, with a certain length of hose ensuring the manouverability required for the shower head.

[0193] An electronic control system 34 can control the valve 30 and the pump 31. This control device 34 may include any type of man-machine interface, for example at least one button for selecting the reservoir from which the liquid is taken and a pump on-off button. The interface may also be more complex and may be arranged, for example, to prohibit the running of the pump if the reservoir from which the liquid is pumped is empty. In this case, suitable level sensors my be provided, connected to the control device.

[0194] Where appropriate, the button(s) for controlling the functioning of the system 1 may be at least partly located on the shower head 32.

[0195] In one example, the shower head includes a switch which the user can control with his finger to switch on the pump and a flap valve which opens only under a certain upstream pressure, so that when the pump is off, the liquid stops flowing from the shower head. The shower head 32 may also include, where appropriate, a button for selecting the reservoir which is to supply it.

[0196] A recovery tank 33 may be placed under the shower head 32 to recover at least part of the liquid L3 which has served for the washing, for example in order to recycle it.

[0197] The shower head 32 is said to have a low flow rate, i.e. under nominal functioning it is supplied with liquid at a flow rate of between 0.3 and 5 L/min.

[0198] This flow rate may be fixed or adjustable. For example, to vary the flow rate, the speed of the motor of the pump 31 may be modified via the interface 35 of the control device 34.

[0199] The pump 31 may be of any type, for example a centrifugal pump.

[0200] The electrical power for the system may be supplied by means of an accumulator, for example, which is recharged, for example, via solar panels.

[0201] The first reservoir 10 has, for example, a capacity of between 1 and 50 L, which is likewise the case for the second reservoir 20.

[0202] The reservoirs 10 and 20 may be open, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or as a variant may be closed, with, in this case, an air inlet, for example by means of a flap valve placed at the top of the reservoir.

[0203] When the system includes a valve 30 as illustrated, the contents of the reservoirs may be taken up via pipes emerging in the bottom thereof, as illustrated. As a variant, this uptake is performed by means of tubes dipping to the bottom of the reservoirs.

[0204] The first liquid L1 may be water and the second liquid L2 may be water supplemented with at least one surfactant, such that the amount of surfactant(s) is between 0.1% and 2.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the second liquid.

[0205] The functioning of the system 1 is, for example, as follows.

[0206] The system 1 is switched on via the interface 35 and the first reservoir 10 is selected, the liquid L1 being water. The shower head 32 is then used for a few seconds to moisten the hair. This step of premoistening the hair remains, however, optional.

[0207] Next, by means of the interface 35, the second reservoir 20 is selected, the second liquid L2 being water supplemented with a surfactant. The shower head 32 is then used for about 5 to 30 seconds, depending on the type of hair, to wash the hair.

[0208] Next, the hair is massaged, this step being optional. The hair is then rinsed. To do this, the interface 35 is again used to select the first reservoir 10 and the hair is rinsed with the shower head 32 for about 15 to 120 seconds, depending on the type of hair.

[0209] To simplify the system 1, it may be produced without the valve 30 and the control device 34 may be reduced, where appropriate, to a simple electrical supply controlled by an on-off switch. A manual valve 30 may also be used.

[0210] In one implementation example, to select the liquid to be dispensed on the hair, reservoirs 10 and 20 which are open at the top may be used, as illustrated in FIG. 2, for example basins, with a suction tube 36 connected to the pump 31, which the user dips into the liquid of his choice.

[0211] In the variant illustrated in FIG. 3, the pump 31 is omitted, and the overpressure required for the functioning of the system is obtained by placing the reservoirs at a sufficient height relative to the shower head 32, by means of at least one pipe 37 of sufficient length.

[0212] The overpressure is then proportional to the height difference h. In practice, this height will be at least 20 m.

[0213] To further increase the autonomy of the system 1, the liquid dispensed on the hair may be recycled.

[0214] One possibility for doing this may consist in using one or other of the reservoirs 10 and 20 as a collection tank, as illustrated in FIG. 4. It is also possible to use a collection tank equipped with a discharge tube which returns the contents of the tank to one or other of the reservoirs 10 and 20.

[0215] When the rinsing water contains surfactant, it may be envisaged to recycle it into the second reservoir 20.

[0216] When the rinsing water contains very little or no surfactant, it may be envisaged to recycle it into the first reservoir 10, which corresponds to the situation illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0217] A relatively high total concentration of surfactant(s) may be envisaged, for example greater than or equal to 1% by weight, in the second reservoir, so that, in the course of the treatments, and despite the dilutions brought about by the recycling of the water, the surfactant content remains sufficient up to the end of the day.

[0218] The pump 31 may be incorporated in a housing 40 which contains a device 41 for treating the water that is recycled, for example to bring about the precipitation of certain cations such as calcium.

Treatment Examples

[0219] In these examples, a shower with a low flow rate having a supply rate of 2 L/min was used, with a supply pump set at 12 bar. The selection of the liquid taken is made by moving the suction tube, as described in reference to FIG. 2.

[0220] 10 L of clear water were placed in a first basin acting as the first reservoir.

[0221] 10 L of water containing 45 g of active material of a surfactant constituted by lauryl ether sulfate 2.2 ethylene oxide from the company BASF (Texapon N 70) were placed in a second basin acting as the second reservoir.

Example 1: Test on a Model of Frizzy Hair

[0222] The supply tube is placed in the second basin. The pump is started and, in so doing, the liquid constituted by the diluted surfactant is applied to the hair for 8 seconds, thus creating a substantial lather. The pump is switched off and the hair is massaged.

[0223] The supply tube is then moved to the first basin. The pump is switched on and the hair is targeted. For 8 seconds, the water dispensed produces more lather, then the water becomes clear. The pump is stopped after 44 seconds.

[0224] The hair is then dried and looks clean.

[0225] The process is simple and proves to be very economical in its use of water.

Example 2: Test on Several Models of Caucasian Hair and Recycling

[0226] The same process as previously is performed, the difference being that the collection tank is equipped with an outlet tube which returns its contents into the second basin.

[0227] It is seen that six models can be treated one after the other. In so doing, the process is very economical in its use of water.

[0228] Needless to say, the invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described.

[0229] For example, the system 1 according to the invention includes a means for regulating the pressure downstream of the pump.

[0230] The valve 30 may be replaced with several components, for instance a set of two one-way valves or taps placed, respectively, on the pipes connected to the first and second reservoirs.

[0231] The electric pump 31 may be replaced with a mechanical pump, actuated by hand or by foot, for example.

[0232] Although the invention is most particularly suitable for the washing of the hair, it is not excluded to use the shower head to wash the body or a part thereof.