METHOD OF DYEING ARTIFICIAL HAIRS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of dyeing artificial hairs. In more detail, the present invention relates to a method of dyeing artificial hairs, in which the artificial hairs are gradient-dyed with mutually different colors.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, human hairs are significantly thin to the extent that the diameter of each hair is averagely in the range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.08 mm. Accordingly, artificial hairs (or hair material) generally used for a wig, a hair restoring member, or a hairpiece serving as a hair accessory are thin like the human hairs.

Such artificial hairs are obtained by processing synthetic resin fiber, such as nylon, modacrylic, and polyester, as well as human natural hairs. When the artificial hairs are dyed, it is difficult to color the artificial hairs having the diameter of about 0.05 mm to about 0.08 mm, and to make the artificial hairs representing a predetermined color and/or a predetermined color tone according to a personal preference in order to obtain a required outer appearance.

Additionally, the colored artificial hairs must be absolutely prevented from easily being discolored or decolorized even if the artificial hairs are exposed to sunlight or cleaned. Further, the artificial hairs must have the minimum acceptable endurance.

In addition, it is difficult to dye a single stand of the artificial hairs with a color or a color tone different from that of a remaining portion of the artificial hairs.

Further, when a single strand of the artificial hairs is divided into two parts to be dyed with different colors, respectively, an excessively complex process is required.

Meanwhile, acrylic fiber representing superior flammability or halogen-containing synthetic fiber such as vinylchloride fiber has been extensively used as the fiber for the artificial hairs. However, since the halogen-containing synthetic fiber represents low heat resistance, the artificial hairs may be shrunken or contracted in high-temperature dyeing or long-time dyeing, which may be caused by heat. In particular, in a multi-color dyeing process, artificial hairs are repeatedly dyed to be more damaged. In order to reduce the damage to the artificial hairs caused by heat, schemes to uniformly dye the artificial hairs at a lower temperature for a short time have been studied and researched.

In such schemes to uniformly dye the artificial hairs at a lower temperature for a short time, an accelerating dye agent or solvent may be used. According to the schemes, although the artificial hairs may be dyed for a short time, fastness (resistance to light, or friction) is insufficient. In addition, if a large amount of an accelerating dye agent or solvent is used, fiber may be abnormally shrunken (contracted).

Following related art 1 (Korean Unexamined Patent Application No. 10-1999-0076477 (filed on Oct. 15, 1999)) discloses a method of manufacturing colored hairs and colored hairs manufactured by using the same.

The method of manufacturing the colored hairs according to the related art 1 includes the steps of applying a color-sizing agent to a hair material, semi-drying the color-sizing agent applied to the artificial hairs, winding a steam supply member, which includes a net member and a moisture-containing member, around the artificial hairs, winding a steam adjusting member, which adjusts an amount of moisture evaporated, around a steam supply member, and infiltrating the color-sizing agent into a color-sizing agent applying region of the artificial hairs by heating the steam supply member and fixing the color-sizing agent.

Following related art 2 (Korean Unexamined Patent Application No. 10-2003-0036607 (filed on May 9, 2003)) discloses a method of dyeing artificial hairs.

The method of dyeing the artificial hairs according to the related art 2 includes a step of dyeing a bundle of fiber for artificial hairs made of halogen-containing synthetic fiber by using a dyeing solution containing a dye, a carrier, and solvent for the synthetic fiber at the temperature of 60 □ to 90□. The carrier has the content of 0.05% by weight to 1.2% by weight based on the content of the dyeing solution, and the solvent has the content of 0.05% by weight to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the dyeing solution.

However, according to the above dyeing methods of related arts 1 and 2, although various colors may be dyed on hairs to be colored, a gradient dyeing work, in which concentrations of mutually different colors are gradually increased, may be difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made keeping in mind problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of the present invention is to provide a method of dyeing artificial hairs, in which the artificial hairs are gradient-dyed with mutually different colors.

In order to accomplish the above objective, there is provided a method of dyeing an artificial hair. The method includes (a) increasing a temperature of a first dye mixture solution obtained by mixing water with a dye representing a first color by a body, to which a drain pipe to drain the water stored through supply through a water pipe is fixed, a plurality of dye vessels to supply the dye to the body, and a hot water supply to circulation-supply hot water to the body, (b) primarily dyeing a bundle of artificial hairs while gradually moving up a height adjusting unit after introducing the artificial hairs into the body by the height adjusting unit, (c) moving up the artificial hairs, which are primarily dyed, drying the artificial hairs for a predetermined time, draining the first dye mixture solution from the body to the drain pipe, and cleaning the body, (d) increasing a temperature of a second dye mixture solution, which is obtained by supplying a dye representing a second color different from the first color and stored in the dye vessels to water in the body and mixing the water with the dye, by the hot water supply, and (e) reversing a position of the artificial hairs, which are primarily dyed, after increasing the temperature of the second dye mixture solution, which is composed by supplying the water and the dye to the body, by the hot water supply, introducing the artificial hairs into the body by the height adjusting unit, and slowly supplying the dye to the body to gradually increase concentration of the second dye mixture solution while slowly moving up the artificial hairs by the height adjusting unit such that the artificial hairs are secondarily dyed at gradually-increased dye concentration.

As described above, according to the method of dyeing artificial hairs of the present invention, the artificial hairs can be gradient-dyed with dyes representing two colors or three colors. Accordingly, the artificial hairs can be dyed in various colors required by consumers. In addition, time spent for a dyeing work is short, so that the artificial hairs can be dyed for a short time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an apparatus for dyeing artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the apparatus for dyeing the artificial hairs shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart to explain a method of dyeing artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention step by step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a method of dyeing artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an apparatus for dyeing artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the apparatus for dyeing the artificial hairs shown in FIG. 1.

Since artificial hairs are dyed by using the dyeing apparatus in a method of dyeing artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the dyeing apparatus will be described in brief with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dyeing apparatus is provided therein with a body 10 having a predetermined size, and the body 10 includes a water pipe 11 to supply water. The water pipe 11 includes a supply pipe to supply the water and a drain pipe to drain water after the body 10 has been cleaned when a dye mixture solution is replaced with new one after the dye mixture has been used.

Each of the supply and drain pipes includes a first valve 11a and a second valve 11b. The first valve 11a is open/closed for the supply of water, and the second valve 11b is open/closed for the drain of water that has been used to clean the body 10.

In addition, the body 10 is provided at one side thereof with a plurality of dye vessels 12 to store dyes representing mutually different colors therein so that the dyes can be supplied to the body 10. In this case, two or three dye vessels 12 may be provided.

For example, a first dye vessel 12a stores a dye representing a dark color such as black or blue therein, and the second dye vessel 12b stores a dye representing a bright color such as yellow or red therein. Accordingly, the dye may be supplied by opening/closing a valve 12d provided in the dye vessel 12.

Meanwhile, another dye vessel 12c stores a dye representing another color to supply the dye as a valve 12d is open/closed. Each of the dye vessels 12 is provided therein with a circulation pump 12e to supply the dye.

Thus, dyes representing two or three colors may be selectively supplied for a dyeing work. If necessary, many kinds of dyes representing various colors may be supplied by increasing the number of the dye vessels 12.

Further, the body 10 is provided at an opposite side thereof with a hot water supply 13, such as a boiler or an instantaneous water heater, to supply hot water, and a spiral pipe 14 connected to the hot water supply 13 is fixed to an inner bottom surface of the body 10.

The spiral pipe 14 is used to heat a dye mixture solution in which water is mixed with a dye. The spiral pipe 14 is wound and fixed in a helix form to enlarge the contact area with the dye mixture solution. In addition, a drain pipe 15 is fixed onto the bottom surface of the body 10, and a valve 15a is provided in the drain pipe 15.

Further, the body 10 is provided at an upper portion thereof with a height adjusting unit (not shown) to move up or down a bundle of artificial hairs 1. The height adjusting unit may include various height adjusting units sufficient to move up or down the light-weighted artificial hairs 1.

Meanwhile, the dye include a cationic dye or a disperse dye, and contains an accelerating dye agent and solvent.

The accelerating dye agent is an organic compound that is sparingly soluble in water. The accelerating dye agent is emulsified in water by an emulsifier and thus uniformly dispersed in the water so that the accelerating dye agent is applied to the artificial hairs. The accelerating dye agent preferably includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an aromatic polyether-based material, an aromatic ester-based material, and a methylnaphthalene-based material. Among them, a cyanobenzyl ether compound, or acetophenone used for synthetic fiber, which represents a relatively mild swelling effect or is less shrunken, is preferable.

In this case, the accelerating dye agent has the content in the range of 0.07% by weight to 1.1% by weight based on the total weight of the dye, and the solution has the content in the range of 0.07% by weight to 4% by weight based on the total weight of the dye. If the content of the accelerating dye agent, which is used, is less than 0.07% by weight based on the total weight of the dye, the uniform dyeing at a low temperature for a short time may be difficult. If the content of the accelerating dye agent is greater than 1.1% by weight based on the total weight of the dye, the fiber may be swollen so that the fiber may be abnormally shrunken.

In addition, if the solvent, which includes a water-soluble organic compound, is dissolved in water for use, the solvent preferably includes at least one selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethylene carbonate, tetrahydrofuran, and dimethylacetamide which can easily dissolve synthetic fiber

The solvent may preferably have the content in the range of 0.07% by weight to 4% by weight. If the content of the solvent, which is used, is less than 0.07% based on the total weight of the dye, the effect obtained when the solvent is used together with the accelerating dye agent may not be made. In other words, the uniform dyeing at the lower temperature for the short time or the improvement in fastness may be difficult. If the content of the solvent is greater than 4% by weight based on the total weight of the dye, the fiber may be swollen so that the fiber may be abnormally shrunken.

The dye mixture solution, in which the water is mixed with the dye, makes contact with the spiral pipe 14 by the hot water supply 13 so that the temperature of the dye mixture solution is increased. In this case, the temperature of the dye mixture solution is preferably in the range of 60□ to 90□. If the temperature of the dye mixture solution is less than 60□, the original color of the dye may not be represented. If the temperature of the dye mixture solution is greater than 90□, the artificial hairs may be abnormally shrunken.

Hereinafter, a method of dyeing the artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart to explain the method of dyeing the artificial hairs according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention step by step.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, according to the method of dyeing the artificial hairs according to the present invention, water is supplied to the body 10 by making the first valve 11a provided in the water pipe 11 open. Simultaneously, the dye, which is stored in the first dye vessel 12a, to be primarily dyed among dyes, which are stored in the dye vessels 12, is supplied to the body 10. A portion of the artificial hairs 1 is dyed with the dye. A first dye mixture solution is composed by supplying a dye representing a dark color such as black.

Alternatively, a bright dye, such as yellow or red, may be supplied to the first dye vessel 12a.

In this case, the dye is supplied in the state of containing the accelerating dye agent and the solvent so that the dyeing is smoothly performed. In addition, the hot water supply 13 heats water and supplies the water through the spiral pipe 14 to increase the temperature of the first dye mixture solution (step S10).

The temperature of the first dye mixture solution is increased to the temperature in the range of 70□ to 80□.

In the state that the temperature of the first dye mixture solution is increased as described above, a bundle of the bound artificial hairs (not shown) is introduced into the body 10 by the height adjusting unit. In this case, a primary dying step to primarily dye a portion of one end of the artificial hairs 1 is performed. In this case, the artificial hairs 1 are dyed while being gradually moved up by the height adjusting unit (step S20).

As described above, in the primary dyeing step, the dye is continuously supplied by the circulation pump 12e, so that the concentration of the first dye mixture solution may be increased.

After the artificial hairs 1 have been primarily dyed as described above, the artificial hairs 1 are dried for 20 minutes to 40 minutes in the state that the artificial hairs 1 is moved up by the height adjusting unit, and the first dye mixture solution is drained by making the valve 15a in the drain pipe 15 open.

In addition, water is supplied to the body 10 by making the first valve 11a in the water pipe 11 open to clearly remove the first dye mixture solution stained on the inner surface of the body 10 and the first dye mixture remaining in the body 10 (step S30).

The artificial hairs 1 are dried for a time to clean the body 10. When the artificial hairs 1 are dried, the artificial hairs 1 may be dried at a normal temperature or at a high temperature by using a heater.

After the body 10 has been cleaned and the artificial hairs 1 have been dried as described above, the water is supplied to the body 10 through the water pipe 11 as described above and the dye stored in the second dye vessel 12b is supplied to the body 10 so that a second dye mixture solution is composed. The second dye mixture solution makes contact with the spiral pipe 14 provided in the hot water supply 13, so that the temperature of the second dye mixture solution is increased to the temperature of 70□ to 80□ (step S40).

Since the second dye mixture solution has the same composition as that of the first dye mixture solution, the details thereof will be omitted below.

After the second dye mixture solution has been completely composed, the artificial hairs 1 are moved down into the body 10 by the height adjusting unit. In this case, the artificial hairs 1 are moved down in the state that the artificial hairs 1 are reversed and fixed to the height adjusting unit, that is, the state that the artificial hairs 1 are fixed to the height adjusting unit in a direction opposite to that of the artificial hairs 1 in the primary dyeing step, thereby not only preventing a first dyed part of the artificial hairs 1 from being dyed repeatedly, but also preventing from the first dyed part from being dyed with a different color as the dye of the first dyed part is mutually mixed with a dye representing a different color when the artificial hairs 1 are secondarily dyed.

In the secondary dyeing step, the dye stored in the second dye vessel 12b is slowly supplied by the circulation pump 122e, so that the concentration of the second dye mixture solution is gradually increased, while the artificial hairs 1 are gradually moved up as the height adjusting unit is moved up.

In other words, as the concentration of the second dye mixture solution is gradually increased, the dye concentration of the artificial hairs 1 is gradually increased. Additionally, the valve 15a in the drain pipe 15 is open so that the second dye mixture solution stored in the body 10 may be gradually drained from the body 10.

Therefore, the artificial hairs 1 are secondarily dyed in the manner that the artificial hairs 1 are moved up while the second dye mixture solution is drained, so that the artificial hairs 1 can be dyed with a gradually deepened color.

Accordingly, the artificial hairs 1 are secondarily dyed by the second dye mixture solution representing a color different from that of dyes in the primary dyeing step. As the height adjusting unit is moved up, the artificial hairs 1 are moved up and gradient-dyed so that the dye color of the artificial hairs is gradually stronger according to the concentration of the second dye mixture solution.

Thus, the artificial hairs 1 subject to the primary and secondary dyeing steps are gradient-dyed with two colors representing two color tones. The above description has been made regarding a two-color dyeing work, in which darker color series such as black or blue are dyed in the primary dyeing step, and brighter color series such as yellow or silver are dyed in the secondary dyeing step.

Hereinafter, a three-color gradient dyeing work will be described. In detail, after the primary and secondary dyeing steps have been finished, the artificial hairs 1 are tertiarily dyed. In this case, a dye representing a color, which is identical to or different from colors used in the primary and secondary dyeing steps, is put into the third dye vessel 12c, so that the tertiary dyeing step is performed.

The body 10 subject to the secondary dyeing step is repeatedly subject to step S30. In other words, the artificial hairs 1 are not only moved up from the body 10 and dried, but also the second dye mixture solution remaining in the body 10 is removed from the body 10 (step S60).

Thereafter, water is supplied to the body 10 through the water pipe 11, and the dye stored in the third dye vessel 12c is supplied to the body 10. The third dye mixture solution obtained by mixing the dye with the water makes contact with hot water supplied from the hot water supply 13 and circulating along the spiral pipe 14, so that the temperature of the third dye mixture solution is increased to the temperature in the range of 70□ to 80□ (step S70).

Subsequently, the artificial hairs 1 fixed to the height adjusting unit are moved down and introduced into the body 10. In this case, the artificial hairs 1, which have been secondarily dyed, are introduced at a desirable depth of the body 10. In other words, the artificial hairs 1 are immersed into the third dye mixture solution of the body 10 by a depth of the artificial hairs 1 to be dyed.

As described above, the artificial hairs 1 are dyed in the state that the artificial hairs 1 are immersed into the third dye mixture solution. In this case, the tertiary dyeing step is performed by the third dye mixture solution having the concentration gradually increased as the dye is gradually supplied from the third dye vessel (step S80).

In the tertiary dyeing step, the artificial hairs 1 are gradually moved up by the height adjusting unit. Simultaneously, the dye concentration of the artificial hairs 1 is increased as the concentration of the third dye mixture solution is gradually increased.

In addition, after the tertiary dyeing step has been finished, the body 10 is cleaned by water and the artificial hairs 1, which has been completely dyed, are dried.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.