U.S. patent application number 11/336144 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-31 for curling iron with variable timer and audible signals.
Invention is credited to Vito James Carlucci.
Application Number | 20060191888 11/336144 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34312248 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060191888 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Carlucci; Vito James |
August 31, 2006 |
Curling iron with variable timer and audible signals
Abstract
A curling iron having a variable timer to control audible
signals that are referenced to and adjusted according to the actual
temperature of the barrel as well as to the curl setting. The
temperature of the barrel and the curl setting can be adjusted by
the user, which alters the signaled time of exposure. A turbo
setting can be employed to rapidly increase the temperature of the
barrel.
Inventors: |
Carlucci; Vito James;
(Stratford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEVEN A. GARNER, ESQ.;CONAIR CORPORATION
ONE CUMMINGS POINT ROAD
STAMFORD
CT
06902
US
|
Family ID: |
34312248 |
Appl. No.: |
11/336144 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10930099 |
Aug 31, 2004 |
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11336144 |
Jan 20, 2006 |
|
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60501118 |
Sep 8, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
219/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/28 20130101; A45D
1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/225 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20060101
A45D001/04 |
Claims
1. A curling iron comprising: a handle; a barrel extending from an
end of said handle; a heater within said barrel adapted to control
the temperature of said barrel; an audible signal generator adapted
to emit an audible signal indicative of a predetermined period of
time; and an electronic circuit adapted to control said audible
signal.
2. A curling iron according to claim 1, further comprising a timer
button on said handle for starting a countdown on said
predetermined period of time.
3. A curling iron according to claim 2, wherein said countdown can
be reset at any time by depressing said timer button.
4. A curling iron according to claim 2, further comprising a
plurality of secondary buttons on said handle for increasing or
decreasing said predetermined period of time.
5. A curling iron according to claim 1, wherein said audible signal
comprises one of a plurality of tones, wherein each tone is
associated with a different time setting.
6. A curling iron according to claim 1, further comprising a turbo
button for rapidly increasing said temperature of said barrel by a
predetermined amount.
7. A curling iron according to claim 6, wherein said turbo button
is adapted to be depressed and released.
8. A curling iron according to claim 6, wherein said temperature of
said barrel is increased for the duration of time that said turbo
button is depressed.
9. A curling iron according to claim 6, wherein said turbo button
increases said temperature of said barrel by approximately 15-20
degrees C. when said barrel is at a maximum temperature.
10. A curling iron according to claim 6, wherein said turbo button
increases said temperature of said barrel by approximately 2-20
degrees C. when said barrel is not at a maximum temperature.
11. A curling iron according to claim 6, further comprising an LCD
display panel adapted to indicate the settings of said curling
iron.
12. A curling iron according to claim 11, wherein said LCD display
panel indicates said temperature of said barrel by a plurality of
lit segments on a bar graph and by a numerical display.
13. A curling iron according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of
lit segments on said bar graph is increased by two when said turbo
button is depressed.
14. A curling iron according to claim 6, further comprising an LED
display panel adapted to indicate the settings of said curling
iron.
15. A curling iron according to claim 14, wherein said LED display
panel indicates said temperature of said barrel by a plurality of
lit segments on a bar graph and by a numerical display.
16. A curling iron according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of
lit segments on said bar graph is increased when said turbo button
is depressed.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application and
claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/930,099, filed Aug.
31, 2004, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/501,118, filed Sep. 8, 2003, the
disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an electrical curling iron,
which employs an audible signal controlled by a variable timer and
which varies temperature and time to accommodate ambient
conditions.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] It is known in the art to provide an electrical curling iron
with an audible signal switched by a timer to indicate the
recommended duration of application of the curling iron to the
hair. Such a signal indicates the optimum time of exposure to the
hot iron and intends to protect against burning the hair as well as
offering a choice of loose or tight curls.
[0006] It is also well known in the art of curling irons to offer
variable barrel temperatures. Currently manufactured appliances
offer a temperature spread from low to high of as much as seventy
degrees C. There is, however, a problem in offering both variable
temperature and variable time indication as the tightness of the
curl is directly proportional to both time of exposure and the
temperature. A curling iron that features a time setting that is
ignorant of the temperature setting will have uncertain results.
There is a need therefore for a curling iron control that
coordinates the time and temperature together with a common logic
to gauge the resulting curl.
[0007] The barrel temperature of a curling iron depends on the
power supplied to the heated element as well as the accuracy of the
temperature control. The surface temperature is quickly reduced in
application to hair and all controllers have a window of accuracy
within which they are ignorant of the actual temperature. The size
of this window in prior art curling irons has been as much as 30
degrees C. Such swings in temperature can significantly affect the
necessary time of exposure to set a curl. If the barrel is
operating at the extremes of the normal temperature, the audible
signal can be inaccurate. There is, therefore, a need for feedback
between the actual barrel temperature and the time signal.
[0008] Another characteristic of prior art curling irons with
electronic timer and audible signal is that the signal has been
indicated with only one sound. The time setting could only be
determined by the switch position. Since curling irons are
generally used behind the head, there is need for a more meaningful
audible signal that can indicate by the sound the actual setting
being employed and whether the curl is tight or loose.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel
control system for a curling iron that addresses the
above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art. These and other
objectives are achieved by the present invention described
herein.
[0010] The present invention is directed to a novel application in
a curling iron of a variable timer to control audible signals that
are referenced to and adjusted according to the actual temperature
of the barrel as well as to the curl setting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention is more fully understood by reference
to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment
with the drawings identified below.
[0012] FIG. 1 is an orthographic illustration of a preferred
embodiment of a curling iron with an LCD display.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an illustration of the LCD display on the
preferred embodiment of an electronic curling iron with an audible
signal.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration of the LED display on the
preferred embodiment of an electronic curling iron with an audible
signal.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an electronic circuit diagram
according to the preferred embodiment of an electronic curling iron
with audible signal.
[0016] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a timing diagram according to
the preferred embodiment of an electronic curling iron with audible
signal.
[0017] FIG. 6 is an illustration of pin assignments and pin
descriptions according to the preferred embodiment of an electronic
curling iron with audible signal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of a curling
iron with electronic temperature controls to control the heater
(8), and an LCD display (1). The present invention, of an improved
curling iron, features an audible signal generator (9) that emits
an audible signal to indicate the time elapsed from start. The time
elapsed is that exposure time relative to the actual barrel
temperature necessary to set a loose or tight curl. The improved
curling iron operates such that an increase in the barrel
temperature will automatically decrease the signaled time of
exposure and a decrease in the temperature will automatically
result in a longer signaled time of exposure. In the preferred
embodiment this is accomplished with an electronic circuit that
references a thermally sensitive component in proximity to the
barrel, the details of the circuit logic can be accomplished with
various well-known circuit designs. An LCD display panel (2) is
employed in the preferred embodiment of the curling iron.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a typical LCD display, as it would appear
on the control panel of the preferred embodiment. In this preferred
embodiment an on/off button (6) would start the iron. A "curl timer
button" (3) would then be depressed and held down while either plus
or minus buttons (4) & (5) are depressed to set the "tightness
of curl" setting. The tightness of curl settings are "loose",
"medium", or "tight". After setting the desired curl tightness and
releasing the "curl timer button" the audible signal countdown
timer can be started or reset by momentarily depressing the same
"curl timer button". In an alternate embodiment, an LED display
could be used, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0020] The barrel temperature setting is indicated by the lit
segments on a bar graph and by a numerical display, settings 1 thru
25. The desired temperature setting can be increased or decreased
by depressing the "plus" or "minus" buttons. In alternative
embodiments the numerical display could also indicate the current
actual barrel temperature.
[0021] An additional feature on the preferred embodiment is the
turbo setting. When the "Turbo" button (7) is depressed and held
down, the barrel temperature will be increased 15-20 degrees C.
above the current setting, for as long as the button is depressed.
In an alternate embodiment, the "turbo" button can be pressed once,
without the need to hold the button down. This would increase the
barrel temperature by 15-20 degrees C. above the current setting
within 30-60 seconds when the temperature is at a maximum setting.
At times other than when the temperature is at a maximum setting,
the barrel temperature would increase by 2-20 degrees C. When this
"turbo" button is pressed, the two bars above the current setting
on the bar graph would be illuminated to signify that the "turbo"
button is engaged.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an electronic circuit that
may be used to accomplish these objectives. In FIG. 4 a NTC 500K
sensor is shown. The unit's temperature is controlled by the means
of this NTC sensor, which has a linear changeable resistance to
temperature. The NTC is placed in a voltage divider circuit in a
regulated 5.1 VDC power supply. The center of the voltage divider
is connected to an NTC input on the integrated circuit.
[0023] For normal operating temperature (without turbo) the chip is
programmed so that when the voltage level reaches 1.54 volts the
heater power controlled by an SCR from the gate the output of the
chip will control the power output to the heater to a 1/2 duty
cycle. When the voltage on the NTC input reaches 2.02 it will turn
off the power to the heater. This circuit regulates the temperature
of the curling iron or hair straightener. Other voltages can also
be used to accomplish the intended results.
[0024] When the turbo function is activated it now changes the
program set points in the integrated circuit so that the change
point from full duty cycle to 1/2 duty cycle now occurs a 1.69
volts instead of 5.4 volts and the off point is at 2.18 volts
compared to 2.02. This effectively boosts the output temperature of
the end product to a higher turbo set point. The NTC input points
for normal and Turbo are shown in FIG. 5.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary timing diagram associated with the
electronic circuit of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows 2 duty cycles on the
charts, level 0-2V and level 2.2 to 5. This is a control for an
automatic dual voltage circuit that changes the duty cycle so at
European voltages of 240 the duty cycle is 1/4 to 1/8 and at 120
volts the duty cycle is full cycle to 1/2 cycle and off. In
essence, the level input is the input for automatic dual voltage
and is voltage divider directly related to the line in. The NTC is
in voltage regulated circuit and is not affected by line voltage
changes the normal and Turbo will work the same at both input
voltages. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of pin assignments and pin
descriptions that may be used to obtain the intended results.
[0026] While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been
herein disclosed and described, it is understood that various
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the
invention.
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