U.S. patent application number 10/821109 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-13 for ion curling iron and straightener.
This patent application is currently assigned to Helen of Troy Limited. Invention is credited to Cafaro, Michael, Koenemann, Gary, Placencia, Rick.
Application Number | 20050224091 10/821109 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35059316 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050224091 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cafaro, Michael ; et
al. |
October 13, 2005 |
Ion curling iron and straightener
Abstract
Hair styling devices including curling irons and flat
straighteners with ion generators are disclosed.
Inventors: |
Cafaro, Michael; (El Paso,
TX) ; Placencia, Rick; (El Paso, TX) ;
Koenemann, Gary; (El Paso, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Timothy S. Corder
VINSON & ELKINS LLP
2300 First City Tower
1001 Fannin
Houston
TX
77002-6760
US
|
Assignee: |
Helen of Troy Limited
|
Family ID: |
35059316 |
Appl. No.: |
10/821109 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20130101; A45D
2200/202 20130101; A45D 2/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/228 |
International
Class: |
A45D 006/06 |
Claims
1. A hair styling device that heats the hair of a user by
conduction of heat from a heated surface to the hair of a user,
wherein the device further comprises an ion generator system, a
fan, and a motor, wherein the fan directs ion flow onto the hair of
the user during use.
2. The device of claim 1, which is a curling iron.
3. The device of claim 1, which is a flat straightener.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the ion generation system
comprises an ion generator connected to positive and negative
electrodes, comprising one or more anode pins and one or more
cathode rings.
5. A hair styling device that is a curling iron or a flat
straightener that comprises: an ion generator system; a fan; and a
motor; wherein the fan directs a flow of ions produced by the ion
generator system on the hair of a user, during use.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the ion generation system
comprises an ion generator connected to positive and negative
electrodes, comprising one or more anode pins and one or more
cathode rings.
7. A curling iron comprising: a housing forming a handle portion; a
barrel adjoined to the housing; a heater contained in the barrel
for heating the barrel during use; a flipper mechanically linked to
a flipper actuator; an ion generator system contained within the
handle portion, wherein the ion generator system comprises an ion
generator electrically connected to one or more anode pins and one
or more cathode rings configured to generate a flow of negative
ions during use; a motor and a fan connected to the motor; air
inlets formed in the housing and in fluid communication with the
fan; an air guide for directing air and ions propelled by the fan
into the barrel; and outlet holes formed in the barrel to direct
air and ion flow onto the hair of a user during use.
8. The curling iron of claim 7, wherein the flipper actuator is
disposed in the housing of the handle portion.
9. The curling iron of claim 7, further comprising a power cord
swivel.
10. A curling iron comprising: a housing forming a handle portion;
a barrel adjoined to the housing; a heater contained in the barrel
for heating the barrel during use; a flipper mechanically linked to
a flipper actuator, wherein the flipper actuator is disposed in the
housing of the handle portion; an ion generator system contained
within the handle portion, wherein the ion generator system
comprises an ion generator electrically connected to one or more
anode pins and one or more cathode rings configured to generate a
flow of negative ions during use; a motor and a fan connected to
the motor; air inlets formed in the housing; an air guide for
directing air and ions propelled by the fan into the barrel; and
outlet holes formed in the barrel to direct air and ion flow onto
the hair of a user during use.
11. A flat straightener comprising: a housing; heating plates for
contacting and styling a user's hair during use; an ion generator
system contained within the housing and comprising: an ion
generator connected to an array of electrodes, wherein the array of
electrodes comprises one or more anode pins, each associated with a
cathode ring, wherein each anode pin is coaxial with an annular
opening in the respective cathode ring; and an airflow system
comprising a motor, a fan and an air guide contained within the
housing, air inlets formed in the housing and air outlets formed
adjacent at least one heating plate; wherein during use, the fan
draws air into the housing through the air inlets and into the air
guide, wherein the air is directed across the electrode arrays and
out the air outlets and onto the hair of a user during use.
12. The flat straightener of claim 11, further comprising an LED
display to indicate the state of the flat straightener.
13. The flat straightener of claim 11, further comprising an
adjustable heat setting.
Description
SUMMARY
[0001] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure include hair
styling devices, including curling irons and flat straighteners,
with or without fast heat-up performance, that also generate
negative ion airflow. The negative ion airflow system includes an
ion generator whose output is coupled between positive and negative
electrode arrays. Preferably, the positive electrode array includes
pointed electrodes and the negative electrode array includes
annular-like electrodes having a central opening coaxial with the
associated pointed electrode. Preferably, the annular-like
electrodes are formed from a single sheet of metal by extrusion or
punching such that the surface of the annular-like electrodes is
smooth and continuous through the opening through which the air
flows.
[0002] The negative ion system further includes a small DC motor
with a fan that creates airflow to safely push the negative ions
out the curling iron barrel or the flat plates of the straightener
via small openings and safely onto the user's hair.
[0003] In certain embodiments, the hair styling curling iron also
incorporates a unique feature through its flipper/tong design. A
preferred flipper/tong design incorporates the flipper/tong within
the handle, eliminating the previous cumbersome and bulky thumb
grip designs. This new flipper/tong design prevents the user from
having to extend their finger and thumb in order to actuate the
flipper, and reduces the risk of burning of the fingers or thumb as
in conventional thumb grip designs.
[0004] Throughout this disclosure, unless the context dictates
otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or
"comprising," is understood to mean "includes, but is not limited
to" such that other elements that are not explicitly mentioned may
also be included. Further, unless the context dictates otherwise,
use of the term "a" may mean a singular object or element, or it
may mean a plurality, or one or more of such objects or
elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The following drawings form part of the specification and
are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of preferred
embodiments of the disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a curling iron.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a curling iron.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a curling iron with the
flipper in the closed position.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a curling iron with the
flipper in the open position.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a flat straightener.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] One preferred embodiment of the disclosure is shown in FIG.
1. The curling iron includes a housing 22, including a housing top
14, housing bottom 15, and cap front 16 that form a handle portion
and a barrel 24 extending from the handle portion 23. Also seen in
the perspective view of FIG. 1 is the switch actuator 13 that
controls the power switch 12, and the flipper actuator 8. It is
understood that in the curling iron and/or flat iron embodiments, a
single switch may control the heating function and the ion flow
system, or they may be controlled by separate switches. The flipper
7 is shown lying along the length of the barrel in the closed
position. As is standard in the art, the flipper is configured to
hold a portion of a user's hair against the heated barrel for
styling the hair. During use, the barrel is heated, and then a user
may roll a portion of hair around the barrel with the flipper in
the open position, and then close the flipper to hold the hair
against the heated barrel. The embodiment shown also includes an
ion generator and fan in the housing for directing ions onto the
hair of a user. The housing thus provides air inlet vents 25 for
air intake and small openings 26 in the underside of the barrel 24
for flow of ions onto the hair as shown in FIG. 2. Other
advantageous features of the curling iron shown in FIG. 1 include
the power cord swivel 21, which allows the curling iron to be
rotated without tangling the power cord, and a cool tip 20 for the
safety of the user.
[0012] A cross section of a curling iron embodiment is shown in
FIG. 3. A power cord is connected to the curling iron through the
power cord swivel 21, and provides power to the switch 12. When the
switch is actuated, power is supplied to the heater assembly, which
includes the heater 18, heat sink 17, and heater sleeving 19, all
contained within the barrel 24. Actuating the switch 12, thus heats
the barrel 24 and this heat is transferred to the hair by
conduction through direct contact with the barrel 24. Switch 12 may
also control the ion system. Power from the switch 12 is connected
to the ion generator 1, which is connected to an array of positive
and negative electrodes. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the
array includes anode pin or pins 2, and annular cathode ring or
rings 3 with a central opening coaxial with the anode pins 2. Power
from the ion generator drives the production of negative ions from
this electrode array. A DC motor with an attached fan 4, propels
air containing the ions through an air guide 6 into the barrel 24
and through the small openings 26 onto the hair of a user during
use.
[0013] Another advantage of certain embodiments of the curling iron
is the ease and safety of using the flipper. In contrast to curling
irons in which the flipper actuator is on the barrel, in the
embodiment shown, the flipper actuator 8 is in the handle portion
23 so the flipper can be actuated without extending the thumb over
the barrel and risking a burn by accidentally touching the hot
barrel. The flipper 7 is held in the closed position as shown in
FIG. 4 by the spring 10 attached to rod 11, biasing the flipper 7
in the closed position. The flipper actuator 8 is attached to rod
11 through the flipper linkage 9. Depressing the flipper actuator 8
(shown in FIG. 3) raises the flipper 7 to the open position. This
is accomplished without moving the thumb onto the barrel and is
thus easier and safer than conventional flipper arrangements.
[0014] In certain preferred embodiments, a hair styling device as
disclosed is a flat straightener or "flat iron" as shown in FIG. 5.
A flat straightener has two arms that are joined by a hinge at one
end and have heated plates at their opposite ends. A flat
straightener is typically biased in the open position and a user
places her hair between the plates and then presses the arms
together to style or straighten the hair between the two heated
plates. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 includes a housing 50, and
power cord 52. The power cord supplies power to the power switch
54, which is connected to the heaters 53 in each arm. The heater is
adjacent the heater plate 51, which contacts the user's hair and
supplies direct conductive heat for styling and straightening the
hair. The heater plate is insulated from the housing by the heater
plate isolator 63. The embodiment shown also includes an LED
display 55, that indicates the state of the device to the user.
[0015] The flat straightener also provides the benefits of a flow
of negative ions onto the hair of a user during use. The power
switch is connected to an ion generator 58 that is connected to an
array of (+) 59 and (-) 60 electrodes for ion generation. The
electrode arrays may be similar to those described for the curling
iron embodiments, in which one or more anode pins are each disposed
coaxially within the annular opening of one or more respective
cathode rings. In the arm containing the electrodes, there is a
small DC motor 56 with an attached fan 57. The fan directs air from
the air inlets 61 formed in the housing, across the electrode array
and out small holes 62 and onto the hair of a user during use.
Additional features that are known in the art, such as adjustable
temperature settings, for example, may also be included on any of
the described embodiments.
[0016] All of the apparatus and methods disclosed and claimed
herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in
light of the present disclosure. While the disclosure has been
described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to
those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the
apparatus and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of
steps of the methods described herein without departing from the
concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar
substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art
are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *