HAIR STYLING UTENSIL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001]The invention relates to a hair styling utensil adapted to be applied to human hair to create curls, waves and/or voluminous hair. The invention further relates to a manufacturing method for the hair styling utensil.

STATE OF THE ART AND TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]The following options are known from the prior art for creating curls, waves and voluminous hair: 1) thermal methods, using heatable appliances such as curling irons and straighteners; 2) chemical methods, using liquids and curling devices; and 3) devices that are in part difficult to apply to the hair and sometimes uncomfortable to wear or require various additional means such as clips, hair elastics and clamps. Heating and the use of chemicals damage the hair, making it brittle and prone to breakage.

[0003]A curling iron or straightening iron can be used to create a variety of hairstyles. However, the disadvantage is that the time required is high, as the hair can only be handled in portions and manual twisting is required, which can cause pain in the shoulder area and wrists. The Airwrap hair styler of Dyson attempts to minimize the problem with the heat supply by using warm airflow (95° C.) and the Coanda effect. However, the Airwrap hair styler of Dyson requires different attachments, which makes handling complicated; with the Airwrap hair styler, only portions of the hair can treated at any one time, which means that more time is required when styling the hair.

[0004]Methods for creating curls using common household items are also known from the prior art, such as creating curls using socks or creating curls using a bathrobe belt or a towel. A particular advantage here is that everyone has the required utensils at home. Since socks or scarves, for example, have no intrinsic stability, attaching them to the hair to create curls necessarily requires additional aids such as external hair ties or uncomfortable hair clips, which are annoying at night or when sleeping and lead to unwanted marks and dents in the ends of the hair or in the hair. In addition, these items cannot be worn in the hair for everyday use.

[0005]Creating waves in the hair without using heat has already been realized in the prior art as a purchasable product, such as the product “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” or other products that are similar to the “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon”. The “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” has a central core made of an aluminum wire, which is encased in a foam material and finally covered with silk or a synthetic fabric. The product is designed as a long tube and is supplied with a large hair clip and two hair elastics. The “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” is unwieldy and is difficult to attach to the hair. Sleeping with the “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” in place is uncomfortable; the “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” also offers only one handling option and cannot be washed, making it unsuitable for everyday use.

[0006]Other purchasable products similar to the “Heatless Curl Hair Ribbon” are designed so that they can be tied at the top of the head with a bow, press studs or a clip, for example. These other products, for example the “Heatless Curl Ribbon Curling Wand, hair Iron Fabric Wave Curling Iron”, still require external aids to attach them to the hair.

[0007]It is therefore a task of the invention to provide a hair styling utensil and a method for its manufacture which eliminates at least some of the disadvantages of the hair styling devices known from the prior art.

REPRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0008]The invention relates to a hair styling utensil comprising a sheet structure and at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy which is connected to the sheet structure, wherein the hair styling utensil in an undeformed state has a longitudinal direction extending centrally through the hair styling utensil and a longitudinal extension along the longitudinal direction, wherein, in the undeformed state, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy extends on both sides of the centrally extending longitudinal direction along at least a part of the longitudinal extension, and wherein the hair styling article is designed to be converted into a deformed state by mechanical deformation of the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy.

[0009]Shape memory alloys are alloys that can be deformed in a “cold” state and can return to an original shape, which the shape memory alloy “remembers”, by phase transformation, preferably by heating, e.g. with a hair dryer, iron (general household appliance) or in a washing machine (other ways of achieving a phase transformation are also possible). Shape memory alloys are particularly reversible. In an undeformed state, the hair styling article may be ribbon-shaped, wherein the longitudinal direction may correspond to a main direction of expansion of the ribbon-shaped hair styling article. The at least one shape memory alloy wire is arranged on both sides of the longitudinal direction in the undeformed state. Such an arrangement of the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy gives the hair styling utensil according to the invention a high degree of stability. In the deformed state, the hair styling utensil is thus dimensionally stable and can thus be introduced into the hair without further aids. A wire comprising shape memory alloys can also be subjected to greater stress during bending than wires consisting of conventional metals; wires consisting of conventional metals can break, in particular after repeated bending; wires consisting of shape memory alloys can be bent much more frequently without breaking. A hair styling utensil according to the invention can be designed such that its shape induced by the original shape of the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is such in the undeformed state that strands of hair are held in place by the hair styling utensil without the need for further aids such as clips or hair elastics: for example, deforming the hair styling utensil into a deformed state can help to ensure that the hair styling utensil according to the invention can be easily inserted into the hair, and a subsequent phase transformation into the original shape can then fix the inserted hair styling utensil. Alternatively, strands of hair can also be fixed in a deformed state, whereby the stability of the shape memory alloys can be utilized for this purpose. The hair styling utensil can be folded or rolled up. The high flexibility of shape memory alloys also makes it possible to deform a hair styling utensil according to the invention into a variety of shapes and thus create a variety of different hairstyles. A hair styling utensil according to the invention is furthermore gentle on hair, since the hair is only shaped by mechanically twisting the hair styling utensil. A hair styling utensil according to the invention is sustainable; in particular, it does not require any electrical energy to shape the hair, and the materials used can be designed in such a way that they can be reused to a high degree in the product life cycle.

[0010]The term “sheet structure” can be used as a generic term for all two-dimensional textile products. The term “sheet structure” can also include circular knitted textile products without a seam or flat knitted textile products with a seam. The sheet is designed in such a way that the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is connected to the sheet in such a way that deformation of the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy also leads to deformation of the sheet. The at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy can also be formed from a plurality of wire threads. The size of the in particular flexible flat structure can vary and be adapted for different hair lengths and handling options. A hair styling utensil according to the invention can be used to create different hairstyles and, in particular, can be used to curl or wave hair. The at least one wire can also be designed as a copper wire (with or without plastic coating), as an enameled copper wire (with or without plastic coating) or as an aluminum wire (with or without plastic coating). The at least one wire can be designed as a single wire and have a diameter of 0.1 to 2 millimeters. The at least one wire can also be designed as a stranded wire and have at least two individual strands, whereby the at least two individual strands are twisted/braided to form the at least one wire. The ends of a braided stranded wire can be fixed, for example, by welding or gluing. One advantage of a braided stranded wire compared to a single wire is that a bending radius can be significantly smaller, while the required wire cross-section can still be maintained.

[0011]In one embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy has only a single wire, wherein the single wire forms a closed curve.

[0012]The individual wire can run at a short distance from, and in particular parallel to, the edges of the sheet structure. The individual wire runs on both sides of the hair styling utensil, which are defined by the central longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the closed curve can be designed as an oval curve in the undeformed state. By way of example, it should be noted that the individual wire can be at least partially rod-shaped or can also run in a zigzag shape; however, other courses of the individual wire are also possible. The individual wire can be designed as a single wire or as a stranded wire.

[0013]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy has a first wire and a second wire, wherein the first wire extends on a first side of the two sides and the second wire extends on a second side of the two sides, and wherein in particular the free ends of the two wires are each capped with a protective cap, which are each attached to the free ends. In this embodiment, it is also possible to design the first wire and the second wire as a single wire or as a stranded wire.

[0014]Free ends of the two wires can be capped, for example with a hat, to protect a user of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, whereby such capping can also protect the sheet structure from damage when the two wires are bent. In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy may also comprise more than two wires. The wires can be laid in different ways, in particular in sections parallel to the longitudinal direction and/or to an edge of the sheet structure, or also in a zigzag shape, or the wires can be bent in sections.

[0015]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the wire comprising at least one shape memory alloy extends in the undeformed state on both sides of the centrally extending longitudinal direction at least in sections parallel to the longitudinal direction.

[0016]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the at least one wire is formed from a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, wherein the nickel content in the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy is between 49.0 and 53.0 atomic percent, and preferably between 49.0 and 51.0 atomic percent, or the at least one wire is formed from a nickel-titanium-copper shape memory alloy, the copper content in the nickel-titanium-copper shape memory alloy being between x=0 and 15 atomic percent and the nickel content in the nickel-titanium-copper shape memory alloy being between 49.0−x and 53.0−x atomic percent.

[0017]With a nickel content of between 49.0 and 51.0 atomic percent of the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, transformation temperatures in the range of approx. −10° C. to +100° C. can be achieved. In order to achieve lower transformation temperatures, the nickel content in the nickel-titanium shape memory alloy can be up to 53.0 atomic percent. Due to their passive layer, nickel-titanium shape memory alloys are food-safe and biocompatible. In contrast to many other metals, shape memory alloys are also characterized by a long service life despite frequent deformations. The shape memory alloy can also be designed as a ternary nickel-titanium-copper shape memory alloy. In such a ternary shape memory alloy, the nickel content can be reduced and replaced by copper, whereby such a replacement leads to a shift in the transformation temperatures. Wires consisting of a nickel-titanium-copper shape memory alloy have an improved heat coefficient compared to a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, so that such a wire can be heated more easily, for example using a hair dryer.

[0018]Nevertheless, the at least one wire can also consist of shape memory alloys that have a different material composition. Possible further shape memory alloys can comprise the following material combinations with different material proportions: Copper-Zinc-Aluminum, Copper-Aluminum-Nickel, Iron-Nickel-Cobalt-Titanium, or Iron-Manganese-Silicon. However, it is necessary to adapt the composition to the respective purpose. The use of the aforementioned shape memory alloys can lead to an improved product service life. Furthermore, it may be necessary to coat/bond the at least one wire made of the aforementioned shape memory alloys with plastic or a coating. This is particularly advantageous for alloys that are used by users with contact allergies, as any skin contact, for example with zinc, cobalt or nickel, would lead to an allergic reaction. As the wire can come into contact with moisture or chemical substances when using the hair styling tool with damp hair or hair care products, there is also a risk of corrosion, which would lead to a reduced service life. For these applications, a shape memory alloy can be selected that is highly resistant to corrosion from water or other chemical substances. Salts, fats or acids that are released or produced during transpiration of the scalp could also lead to corrosion of the wire unless a suitable material composition or coating is selected.

[0019]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the sheet structure is formed from cotton, or the sheet structure is formed from cotton and elastane and/or Lycra, or the sheet structure is formed from silk, or the sheet structure is formed from silk and elastane and/or Lycra.

[0020]The sheet structure can also be formed from other natural plant or animal fibers/yarns/twists or synthetic fibers/yarns/twists and/or also have microfibers or the like. Cotton can be advantageous as it does not additionally strain, dry out or damage the hair. Furthermore, a hair styling utensil comprising, for example, cotton and a shape memory alloy can also be washed in a washing machine without losing its shape: a corresponding hair styling utensil can therefore be used hygienically. A surface of the sheet structure can be smooth or terry, for example, or otherwise refined or coated.

[0021]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is coated with a plastic and/or the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is coated with a shape memory polymer.

[0022]Such a coating can help to reduce the stress on the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy during bending and thus improve the service life of the hair styling article. A shape memory polymer used for coating can have a similar transformation temperature as the wire, so that a phase transformation takes place, for example during heating, both for the wire and for the shape memory polymer.

[0023]In a further embodiment of the hair styling article according to the invention, the wire comprising at least one shape memory alloy is arranged in at least one receiving region sewn into the sheet structure, in particular in the form of a receiving tube, and/or the wire comprising at least one shape memory alloy is sewn and/or woven and/or knitted and/or circular-knitted and/or embroidered and/or integrated into the sheet structure.

[0024]Furthermore, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy can be placed on the sheet structure and fixed by means of a rolled seam which extends along a closed curve of the outer edge of the sheet structure. The rolled seam can be produced using an overlock. The rolled seam can also be produced by inserting the at least one wire into the receiving tube and fixing it by forming said rolled seam along the outer edges. In each of the aforementioned cases, the material of the rolled seam encloses the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy.

[0025]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the sheet structure has at least one slit and/or at least one hole, wherein the sheet structure has in particular two holes, which are in particular each positioned about the centrally extending longitudinal direction, and wherein the two holes are in particular positioned such that after a symmetrical folding of the hair styling utensil about a folding direction extending substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal direction, the two holes lie one above the other.

[0026]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the sheet structure is tubular in shape and has a tubular region, and a single slit is formed on one side of the tubular sheet structure, and/or the hair styling utensil is designed to accommodate rollers and/or inserts, and/or at least one band is attached to the sheet structure of the hair styling utensil.

[0027]In a further embodiment of the hair styling article according to the invention, the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is placed on the sheet structure and the at least one wire comprising a shape memory alloy is fixed to the sheet structure by means of a fastening thread at least partially surrounding the wire in order to form a compound structure.

[0028]The sheet structure can be made from one of the aforementioned materials, such as cotton, a fabric blend of cotton and elastane, Lycra, silk, felt or another breathable material. Furthermore, the material should have the necessary tensile strength to securely hold a thread, such as the fastening thread. Preferably, the sheet structure is made of a non-woven material that is tear-resistant yet lightweight, i.e. has a low density. The wire can be placed on the sheet structure, for example preformed, and fixed to the sheet structure using the fastening thread, which at least partially encloses the wire. In this case, the fastening thread penetrates the material of the sheet structure so that it emerges on the underside of the sheet structure or can be seen there, as is the case with embroidered textile parts, for example. The fastening thread can be made of the same material as the sheet structure. Preferably, however, the fastening thread has a higher tensile strength than the yarn or fabric used to produce the sheet structure. The fastening thread can be a tear-resistant yarn, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the fastening thread can have a higher elasticity than the yarn or the fabric of the sheet structure.

[0029]Instead of pre-forming the wire onto the sheet structure and fixing it in place with a fastening thread, the so-called Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) process can be used to produce the compound structure. In this process, a guide head places the wire along a predetermined contour on the sheet structure, whereby this process step is carried out while simultaneously fixing the wire using the fastening thread. The wire is continuously fed to the guide head as it moves along the contour, so that the wire is given the desired shape (which preferably corresponds to the contour). Preferably, the wire is in a mechanically undeformed state when it is applied, i.e. in the undeformed initial state. The TFP process advantageously leads to a mechanically stable connection between the wire and the sheet structure, so that the hair utensil can be returned to the undeformed initial state after deformation and with the addition of energy (e.g. thermal energy) by shape transformation of the shape memory alloys. This can lead to a further improvement in product service life, as the wire is restricted in its movement by the additional fastening using a fastening thread.

[0030]In a further embodiment of the hair styling utensil according to the invention, the hair styling utensil further comprises a tubular sheath with an inner volume, wherein the compound structure is completely inserted into the inner volume and wherein preferably the tubular sheath is mechanically connected to the sheet structure of the compound structure.

[0031]The tubular sleeve can, for example, be made of the same material as the sheet structure, or can also be made of a different material, such as a waterproof or gas-tight material. If the material consists of a material that can be obtained by knitting, the sleeve can advantageously be produced using a circular knitting process. This allows the tubular sleeve to be produced in large quantities and lengths in a continuous process. Advantageously, the production of the tubular casing by means of a circular knitting process reduces the manufacturing costs, irrespective of the production of the compound structure, and increases the flexibility in the selection of the materials used for the casing. The tubular sleeve can also be or become connected to the compound structure, in particular the sheet structure. Common joining methods such as gluing, sewing, embroidery or ultrasonic welding can be used depending on the material. This mechanical connection between the sheath and the compound structure can ensure good dimensional stability so that the sheath adapts to the change in shape of the wire and/or compound structure or follows this change in shape.

[0035]In the manufacture of the hair styling utensil, the method described advantageously results in a hair styling utensil which has good (re)formability and a long shelf life. In addition, the manufacturing process is easy to use and can be used for the production of large quantities, which can lead to considerable cost savings. Furthermore, the use of the TFP process has the advantage that the hair styling utensil can be recycled easily, i.e. without great effort. For this purpose, the fastening thread can be cut open and the wire removed from the compound structure. This allows the individual elements to be fed into the recycling loop individually.

[0041]Tubular casings usually have two open ends. After inserting the compound structure into the tubular sleeve, the two ends can be closed to hold the compound structure securely in the inner volume. If one open end has already been closed before insertion, only one open end then needs to be closed. The hold in the inner volume can also be improved by connecting the compound structure to the sleeve.

[0045]Reducing the longitudinal expansion, in particular the deformation, can lead to a compact hair styling utensil that can be easily accommodated in space-saving packaging. For example, the hair styling utensil can be rolled up onto a roll with a predetermined diameter and packaged together with the roll to save space. Space-saving packaging enables cost-effective transportation, as more products can be transported per volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0046]The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the attached figures.

[0047]FIG. 1 shows schematic embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention.

[0048]FIG. 2 schematically shows possible extensions of a hair styling utensil according to the invention.

[0049]FIG. 3 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention.

[0050]FIG. 4 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention.

[0051]FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 schematically show ways of attaching a hair styling utensil according to the invention to the hair.

[0052]FIG. 9 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0053]FIG. 1 shows schematic embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention. FIG. 1a shows a sheet structure 1 with a wire 2 consisting of a shape memory alloy, which runs along the edges of the sheet structure 1. The hair styling utensil has a longitudinal direction 8 and a longitudinal extension along the longitudinal direction 8. The wire runs on both sides of the longitudinal direction 8. The wire 2 forms a closed curve. FIG. 1b shows a section of a hair styling utensil according to the invention comprising a sheet structure and a wire consisting of shape memory alloys at the edges of the sheet structure, wherein the wire 2 runs parallel to the longitudinal direction 8 on both sides of the longitudinal direction 8 in the section shown. The section shown in FIG. 1b does not include the end regions of the hair styling utensil, one end region being shown in FIG. 1c. The sheet structure 1 shown in FIG. 1b has two tubular edge areas (receiving area/receiving tube) in which the wire 2 is laid. The wire 2 is connected to the sheet structure 1 through the tubular edge areas, so that deformation of the wire 2 leads to deformation of the sheet structure 1. The wire 2 can also be connected to the sheet structure in another way, whereby the connection should be designed in such a way that a deformation of the wire 2 leads to a deformation of the sheet structure and thus of the hair styling utensil. FIG. 1d shows a further embodiment of a hair styling utensil according to the invention, comprising a sheet structure 1, a wire 2 and a coating 3 of the wire 2 with a plastic and/or with a shape memory polymer. FIG. 1e corresponds to FIG. 1d, although in contrast to FIG. 1d, FIG. 1e does not show a coating of the wire 2. FIG. 1f in turn shows a top view of an embodiment of a hair styling utensil according to the invention, wherein a wire 2 comprising a shape memory alloy is arranged at the edges of a sheet structure 1.

[0054]FIG. 2 schematically shows possible extensions of a hair styling utensil according to the invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 2a, ribbons 4 or cords 4 can be attached to the hair styling utensil, the hair styling utensil having a sheet structure 1 and a wire 2: a hair styling utensil adapted in this way can sometimes be attached to the hair more easily. FIG. 2b shows further rollers 5 and/or inserts 5 that can also be used. Bands 4, cords 4 or other possible attachments 4 can already be attached to the hair styling utensil, or the hair styling utensil can be designed in such a way that a user can attach these attachments 4 to the hair styling utensil.

[0055]FIG. 3 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention. FIG. 3a shows an embodiment of a hair styling utensil with two wires 2 parallel to one another and a further embodiment with a plurality of wires 2 parallel to one another. The free ends of the wires 2 can be capped. FIG. 3b shows an embodiment of a hair styling utensil which is constructed similarly to the embodiments shown in FIG. 1: in addition, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3b has two holes 6 in the sheet structure through which hair can be passed. From a different perspective, the example shown in FIG. 3b can also be seen in FIG. 3c. FIG. 3d is again similar to FIG. 3c, although instead of two holes 6 in FIG. 3d, only one hole 6 is arranged in the center of the sheet structure 1.

[0056]FIG. 4 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention. FIG. 4a shows an embodiment of a hair styling utensil which is similar to the embodiments shown in FIG. 1: in addition, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a also has two slits 7, which are arranged on one side of the sheet structure and in which, for example, hair can be guided through the two slits 7. FIG. 4b is similar to FIG. 4a, although in contrast to FIG. 4a there is only one slit 7 passing through the sheet structure, through which hair can be guided. FIG. 4c in turn shows an embodiment of a hair styling utensil which is tubular in shape and only has a slit 7 on one side of the sheet structure: Hair can then be guided into the £ tubular area provided by the tubular hair styling utensil and exit this tubular area through the slit 7.

[0057]FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 schematically show ways of attaching a hair styling utensil according to the invention to the hair. FIG. 5a schematically shows the case where the two halves of hair separated at the crown can be formed separately with a hair styling utensil according to the invention: in particular, a hair styling utensil according to the invention, as shown in FIG. 5b, can be twisted into the hair, whereby one end of a hair styling utensil according to the invention can be folded up for fastening, as shown in FIG. 5c. The shape memory alloys used in the hair styling utensil according to the invention enable such a strong deformation, whereby the at least one wire is only slightly damaged or fatigued despite the strong deformation. In general, individual strands can be twisted around a hair styling utensil according to the invention, whereby curls can be created with it, or a hair styling utensil according to the invention can be braided together with the hair as in a plait, a French plait or a herringbone plait, whereby waves can be created with it. Since, in contrast to known solutions from the prior art, no further aids such as hair elastics, fixation elastics, fixation bands and hair clips are required to secure a hair styling utensil according to the invention to the hair, undesirable imprints and dents in the hair can be avoided. FIG. 5d-f and FIG. 6a-c show how the separately formed hair can be brought together at the back of the head, then twisted in and finally secured in a bun. FIG. 6c-d show further ways in which a hair styling utensil according to the invention can be introduced into the hair. The hair styling utensil used in FIG. 6d has additional bands with which the hair can be tied together again at the top of the head. As shown in FIG. 7, many other hairstyles can be created with a hair styling utensil according to the invention. After removing the hair styling utensil, the hair can then be curled or waved. The hair can be tied at the top of the head, as shown in FIG. 7a, or at the back of the head, as shown in FIG. 7c. As shown in FIG. 7b, the hair can also be rolled up in a snail shape (as a bun) on both sides of the head. As shown in FIG. 7d, a hair styling utensil according to the invention can also be twisted in at the top of the head, whereby a larger hair volume can be achieved. As shown in FIG. 8a-b, many hair styling utensils according to the invention can also be attached to a main band, whereby strands of hair can then be twisted around the hair styling utensils attached to the main band.

[0058]FIG. 9 schematically shows further embodiments of a hair styling utensil according to the invention. FIG. 9a shows an embodiment, in particular a part of a hair styling utensil, wherein a wire 2 comprising a shape memory alloy is arranged at the edges of a sheet structure 1 (see FIG. 1f). However, the sheet structure 1 in FIG. 9a is designed as a non-woven fabric and the wire 2 was attached to the non-woven fabric, which acts as a laminate base, using a TFP process. A tear-resistant fastening thread 9 was used for this purpose, which partially covers the wire 2 and dips into the fleece on both sides along the contour of the wire 2 in order to be countered on the underside of the sheet structure 1, for example with a cross thread. The wire 2 is then held firmly in place on the sheet structure 1 by the fastening thread 9. A TFP embroidery machine with a movable guide head is used to implement the TFP process. The sheet structure 1 is also provided with a central slit 7 along the longitudinal axis, which, among other things, improves deformability, e.g. rotation around its own longitudinal axis. FIG. 9b shows a tubular sleeve 10, which has an inner volume not shown. The part of the hair styling article shown in FIG. 9a can be inserted into the inner volume, whereby open ends of the tubular sheath 10 are folded over and closed by means of a rolled seam to provide a closed pocket in which the part shown in FIG. 9a is located. This forms the hair styling utensil. In this example, the tubular sleeve 10 is made of cotton. Other methods for closing the open ends of the tubular sheath 10 can alternatively be used. FIG. 9c shows a sectional view of the sleeve 10 from FIG. 9b, into which the part from FIG. 9a has been inserted. As can be seen, the sheath 10 encases the part, whereby the wire 2 has been attached to the sheet structure 1 using the TFP process. As can also be seen from the figure, the fastening thread 9 surrounds the wire on the upper side and dips into the sheet structure 1 on both sides next to the wire 2, so that part of the fastening thread 9 extends to the underside of the sheet structure 1, where it may be countered with a cross thread not shown. However, the cross thread is not absolutely necessary for countering on the underside, as it can be omitted depending on the TFP method or stitch used.