U.S. patent application number 10/566538 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-14 for hair iron.
Invention is credited to Yoshihiro Hirata, Hiroaki Takase.
Application Number | 20060201924 10/566538 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34113849 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060201924 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hirata; Yoshihiro ; et
al. |
September 14, 2006 |
Hair iron
Abstract
A hair iron comprising a pair of openable/closable
hair-sandwiching arms that each store in void spaces shielded by
shielding members a heat-source plate and a hair-heating plate
positioned adjacent to the heat-source plate and sandwiches hairs
when the arms are closed; wherein the pair of arms are
openably/closably connected on one end by a pivot, and spring
pressure is used to maintain the pair or arms in opening directions
in a normal condition; wherein the heating plates are installed so
that they face each other; wherein tapered portions are provided in
a base, on the void space side, of the heating plate, and a gasket
is securely fitted in the formed tapered voids in order to improve
the steam cutoff property of the void spaces; and wherein the
temperature can be controlled easily at the operator's
fingertips.
Inventors: |
Hirata; Yoshihiro; (Kyoto,
JP) ; Takase; Hiroaki; (Kyoto, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET
FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
34113849 |
Appl. No.: |
10/566538 |
Filed: |
July 28, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
July 28, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP04/11112 |
371 Date: |
May 20, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/06 20130101; A45D
1/04 20130101; A45D 2/001 20130101; A45D 2001/008 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/225 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20060101
A45D001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 1, 2003 |
JP |
2003-284631 |
Claims
1. A hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type, comprising a
pair of openable/closable hair-sandwiching arms that store, in void
spaces each shielded by a pair of right and left shielding members
constituting each hair-sandwiching arm, temperature-adjustable
heat-source plates and heating plates that contact the respective
heat-source plates and sandwich hairs when the arms are closed,
wherein the hair-sandwiching arms are openably/closably connected
on one end by a pivot so that the force of a spring provided at a
pivot bearing maintains the pair of openable/closable arms in open
directions in a normal condition, and the heating plates are
affixed in a manner facing each other; said hair iron characterized
in that tapered portions are provided in a base, on the void space
side, of each heating plate and a gasket is fitted in gaps formed
by the tapered portions in order to improve steam cutoff property
of the void space and also facilitate disassembly and assembly.
2. The hair iron claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a gasket
is placed in a connection area between one void space shielded by
the shielding member of the hair-sandwiching arm in which the
heat-source plate and the heating plate are stored, and the other
void space shielded by the shielding member of the hair-sandwiching
arm, in order to improve the steam cutoff property of both sides of
the void space.
3. The hair iron claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a
temperature controller and/or a temperature display is placed in
one void space in which the heat-source plate and the heating plate
are stored, or in the other void space.
4. The hair iron claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a
temperature controller and/or a temperature display is placed in
one void space in which the heat-source plate and the heating plate
are stored, or in the other void space.
5. A hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type, comprising a
pair of hair-sandwiching arms which are pivoted and
openably/closably connected to each other, each hair-sandwiching
arm comprising: a temperature-adjustable heat-source plate and a
heating plate which receives heat from the heat-source plate, said
heating plate facing another heating plate of the other
hair-sandwiching arm, thereby sandwiching hairs when the
hair-sandwiching arms are closed; a pair of right and left
shielding members with respect to a longitudinal axis of the
hair-sandwiching arm, said right and left shielding members having
respective inner peripheries attached to each other and respective
outer peripheries connected to right and left connecting portions
of the heating plate, thereby forming a void space enclosed by the
right and left shielding members and the heating plate, wherein the
heat-source plate is placed inside the void space; and gaskets
fitted between the right shielding member and the right connecting
portion of the heating plate and between the left shielding member
and the left connecting portion of the heating plate, respectively,
for improving steam cutoff property of the void space.
6. The hair iron claimed in claim 5, wherein each connecting
portion of the heating plate has a groove in which the outer
periphery of the hair-sandwiching arm is fitted together with the
gasket.
7. The hair iron claimed in claim 6, wherein the groove has a
surface tapered in a direction of placing force toward the gasket
when the outer periphery of the hair-sandwiching arm is connected
to the groove.
8. The hair iron claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer periphery of
the hair-sandwiching arm has a tapered surface conforming to the
tapered surface of the groove.
9. The hair iron claimed in claim 5, further comprising a biasing
member provided at a pivot where the right and left
hair-sandwiching arms are pivoted, said biasing member urging the
right and left hair-sandwiching arms to open.
10. The hair iron claimed in claim 5, further comprising a center
gasket placed between the inner peripheries of the hair-sandwiching
arm.
11. The hair iron claimed in claim 5, further comprising a
temperature display placed on the right and left shielding members
of one of the hair-sandwiching arms opposite to the heating
plate.
12. The hair iron claimed in claim 5, further comprising a
temperature controller provided in one of the hair-sandwiching
arms.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to improving the steam cutoff
property of a hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type used for
various perm treatments, where hairs are sandwiched between a pair
of openable/closable heating plates that are attached on the
opposing surfaces of the hair-sandwiching arms of the hair
iron.
[0002] The present invention also relates to a hair iron of
V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type offering improved steam cutoff
property with respect to one void space in the hair-sandwiching arm
shielded by shielding members, by means of placing a heating plate
with its base end tapered and then tight-fitting a gasket in the
applicable tapered void.
[0003] The present invention further relates to a hair iron of
V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type fitted with a gasket for the
purpose of improving the steam cutoff property of the connection
area between one void space in the hair-sandwiching arm in which a
heat-source plate and a heating plate are stored and the other void
space in the hair-sandwiching arm.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
[0004] Hair irons used for hair straightening include hair irons of
V-shaped, grip type having a pair of heating plates attached in a
manner facing each other, such as those described in Publications
of Unexamined Patent Application Nos. Sho 62-172905, 2000-166634,
2001-137038 and 2002-291517 and Publication of Utility Model
Registration No. 3072722. A hair iron of this type has a pair of
heating plates attached on the opposing surfaces of V-shaped,
hair-sandwiching arms that are maintained by force in opening
directions, where the V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arms are operated
to sandwich a specified amount of hairs between the pair of heating
plates and the heating plates are moved in this condition in the
direction of extending the hairs. This so-called ironing motion
removes any frizzles and curls and thereby straightens the hairs.
Among hair irons of V-shaped, grip type where a pair of
openable/closable heating plates are placed in a manner facing each
other, the hair iron disclosed in Publication of Unexamined Patent
Application No. 2003-24127 is known where the surface of the
heating plate has grooves extending in the longitudinal direction
of the arm so as to reduce the effect on the scalp of the steam
generated by heated perm solution. When hair irons of this type are
used in hair perms, generally perm solution is applied to the
hairs. In the case of hair straightening, the temperature of the
heating plates is controlled in the range of 100 to 170.degree. C.
using the selector switch provided on the hair iron.
[Patent Literature 1] Publication of Unexamined Patent Application
No. Sho 62-172905
[Patent Literature 2] Publication of Unexamined Patent Application
No. 2000-166634
[Patent Literature 3] Publication of Unexamined Patent Application
No. 2001-137038
[Patent Literature 4] Publication of Unexamined Patent Application
No. 2002-291517
[Patent Literature 5] Publication of Utility Model Registration No.
3072722
[Patent Literature 6] Publication of Unexamined Patent Application
No. 2003-24127
[0005] With a hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type,
normally both of the pair of facing heating plates are controlled
to an appropriate temperature. Hairs on which perm solution has
been applied are then sandwiched between these heating plates and
heated. Some of these hair irons store, in a void space formed by
shielding members in each V-shaped hair-sandwiching arm, a heating
plate, a heat-source plate to heat the heating plate, and also a
handy switch and a temperature controller to switch the
temperature. On these hair irons, the handy switch is operated to
adjust the temperature controller in the range of 100 to
170.degree. C. and hairs are sandwiched between the heating plates
set to the specified heating temperature, as mentioned above. As
hairs are sandwiched, the water content of the perm solution and
other chemicals applied to the hairs evaporates instantaneously and
high-temperature steam generates. This steam is then released from
the heating plates in four directions. As a result, the
high-temperature steam is trapped between the heating plates and
eventually seeps into the void spaces in V-shaped, hair-sandwiching
arms that are shielded by shielding members. This can cause the
temperature selector switch, temperature controller, temperature
display and other control devices to suffer electrical damage due
to high-temperature steam, and for this reason the aforementioned
control devices had to be placed away from the hair-sandwiching
arms. Therefore, even when the handy switch on the hair-sandwiching
arm is operated to adjust the temperature, it was an extremely
cumbersome task for the operator implementing hair perm to confirm
the actual temperature every time the temperature was changed, by
looking at the temperature controller or temperature display that
had to be placed away from the V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] As explained above, conventional hair irons had the problem
of high-temperature steam trapped along the periphery of the
heating plates and eventually seeping into the void spaces shielded
by shielding members via the gaps between the heating plate
attached to the V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm and the shielding
members. To prevent this problem, various ways to improve steam
cutoff property have been proposed, such as screw-tightening or
bonding a gasket or filling calking agent between the heating plate
and shielding members. However, filling calking agent makes it
difficult to disassemble the hair iron into component parts.
Screw-tightening a gasket permits easy assembly, but such
attachment structure is vulnerable to large impact and exhibits
poor durability. When hairs are sandwiched between the heating
plates during the perm, repeated pressurization of the shielding
members by the heating plate affects the shielding property between
the heating plate and shielding members. This has sometimes led to
the problem of high-temperature steam seeping into the void space
along the shielding members in a V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm and
contacting the heat-source plate to cause the complex circuitry of
the temperature controller to suffer electrical damage. In addition
to presenting the risks of fire resulting from such electrical
damage, conventional hair irons had to have their temperature
controller and temperature display installed away from the
V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arms.
[0007] The present invention was devised in light of the
aforementioned circumstances and the object of the present
invention is to provide a safe, easy-to-operate hair iron that
eliminates the possibility of electrical damage. This hair iron
also permits easy temperature adjustment because the temperature
controller and temperature display can be stored in a void space in
the V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm that is shielded by shielding
members, which in turn is made possible by changing the structure
of the heating plate base supported by the shielding members in the
V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm and thereby improving the steam
cutoff property of the shielded void space in the V-shaped,
hair-sandwiching arm.
[0008] In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a gasket
offering excellent heat resistance and elasticity is fitted between
the shielding members and the bases, on the void space side, of the
heating plates that are attached in a manner facing each other and
maintained on the V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arms (each comprising
a pair of right and left shielding members) so that the plates
remain open in normal condition, and the gasket is secured using a
taper shape provided at each base of the heating plate. This
prevents high-temperature steam from seeping into the void space
and thereby presents a hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type
wherein temperature-adjustable heat-source plates, temperature
display and temperature controller are stored in the void spaces in
the hair-sandwiching arms.
[0009] Specifically, the hair iron proposed by the present
invention is characterized by the basic structure described
below:
[0010] (1) A hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching type,
comprising a pair of openable/closable hair-sandwiching arms that
each store, in a void space shielded by a pair of right and left
shielding members constituting each hair-sandwiching arm, a
temperature-adjustable heat-source plate and a heating plate that
contacts the heat-source plate and sandwich hairs when the arms are
closed, wherein the hair-sandwiching arms are openably/closably
connected on one end by a pivot so that the force of a spring
provided at a bearing maintains the pair of openable/closable arms
in open directions in a normal condition, and the heating plates
are affixed in a manner facing each other; the hair iron
characterized in that the bases, on the void space side, of the
heating plate are tapered and a gasket is fitted in gaps formed by
the tapers in order to improve the steam cutoff property of the
void space and also facilitate disassembly and assembly.
[0011] (2) A hair iron described in (1), characterized in that a
gasket is placed in the connection area between one void space
shielded by the shielding members of the hair-sandwiching arm in
which the heat-source plate and the heating plate are stored, and
the other void space also shielded by the shielding members of the
hair-sandwiching arm, in order to improve the steam cutoff property
of both void spaces.
(3) A hair iron described in (1) or (2), characterized in that a
temperature controller and/or a temperature display is placed in
the one void space in which the heat-source plate and the heating
plate are stored, or in the other void space.
[0012] As explained above, the hair iron of V-shaped,
hair-sandwiching type proposed by the present invention comprises a
pair of right and left shielding members, and the bases of each
heating plate stored in the void space shielded by the shielding
members are tapered in advance. In the process where the pair of
shielding members are assembled and installed from both sides, the
convex parts of the shielding members are engaged completely in the
tapered voids along the tapered bases of the heating plate, thereby
enhancing the airtightness of the void space and thereby improving
the steam cutoff property. As a result, the hair iron proposed by
the present invention prevents steam from seeping into the void
space between the shielding members where the heating plate is
attached, even when steam generates from the water content of the
perm solution and other chemicals as a result of heating the
heating plate during hair ironing. Consequently, this hair iron can
completely cut off steam from the void space. Also, a heat-source
plate, a temperature controller and a temperature display can also
be stored in the void space of the V-shaped arm shielded by the
pair of right and left shielding members, which allows the operator
to adjust the temperature easily at his or her fingertips.
Furthermore, such structure prevents the risks of fire caused by
high-temperature steam seeping into the void space and contacting
the heat-source plate. Moreover, the operator can easily adjust the
temperature by looking at the temperature display near his/her
operating hand. Also, simply connecting the pair of shielding
members from both sides allows the gasket to align automatically
along the tapered bases of the heating plate and completely fit the
tapered voids, so the shielding members can be disassembled or
assembled from right and left with ease.
[0013] The gasket fitted between the heating plate bases and
shielding members must be made of a material that withstands high
temperatures of well over 100.degree. C. Any material can be used
as long as it can act as a buffer, without swelling or dissolving,
against the various chemicals contained in the steam of perm
solution that generates and comes in contact with the gasket during
the treatment. For example, a composition comprising an appropriate
blend of natural rubber and synthetic rubber such as polybutadiene
rubber, polyisoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile
rubber, polychloroprene, butyl rubber, Hypalon, EPM, EPDM, urethane
rubber or fluorine rubber can be favorably used.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] [FIG. 1] The heating plate used in the hair iron proposed by
the present invention, and the gasket fitted to the heating
plate
[0015] [FIG. 2] A side view of the gasket-fitted heating plate used
in the hair iron proposed by the present invention
[0016] [FIG. 3] A cross-section view of the gasket-fitted heating
plate used in the hair iron proposed by the present invention
(cross-section view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2)
[0017] [FIG. 4] A condition before the gasket is fitted to the body
of the hair iron proposed by the present invention
[0018] [FIG. 5] A condition after the gasket is fitted to the hair
iron proposed by the present invention as shown in FIG. 4
[0019] [FIG. 6] A side view of the hair-sandwiching arm
constituting the hair iron proposed by the present invention
[0020] [FIG. 7] A cross-section view taken along line B-B of FIG.
6
[0021] [FIG. 8] A perspective view of a conventional hair iron
[0022] [FIG. 9] A conventional heating plate in a fitted state
DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS
[0023] 101 Heating plate [0024] 102 Gasket [0025] 103 Heating plate
base [0026] 104 Shielding member [0027] 105 Tapered heating plate
base [0028] 106 Grip [0029] 107 Hair-sandwiching arm [0030] 108
Pivot [0031] 109 Gasket [0032] 109' Second gasket [0033] 110
Affixing part [0034] 111 Protective sheet [0035] 112 Force spring
[0036] 113 Temperature controller [0037] 114 Temperature display
[0038] 115 Heat-source plate [0039] 116 Shield joint [0040] 117
Convex part of shielding member [0041] 118 Void space (where a
temperature controller is stored) [0042] 119 Tapered void [0043]
201 Heating plate [0044] 202 Gasket [0045] 203 Heating plate base
[0046] 204 Shield [0047] 206 Grip [0048] 207 Hair-sandwiching arm
[0049] 208 Pivot [0050] 211 Protective sheet [0051] 212 Force
spring [0052] 215 Heat-source plate [0053] 216 Shield joint [0054]
218 Void space [0055] 220 Handy temperature selector switch [0056]
221 Screw
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0057] An embodiment of the present invention is explained
according to the drawings.
[0058] FIG. 1 shows the heating plate of the V-shaped hair iron
proposed by the present invention and the gasket fitted to the
heating plate. FIG. 2 is a side view of the gasket-fitted heating
plate, while FIG. 3 provides a cross-section view of the
gasket-fitted heating plate (cross-section view of the section
indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2). FIG. 4 shows a condition before
the gasket-fitted heating plate is installed on the iron body,
while FIG. 5 shows a condition after the gasket has been fully
engaged with the iron body. FIG. 6 shows a side view of the
hair-sandwiching arm constituting the hair iron proposed by the
present invention, while FIG. 7 shows a cross-section view taken
along line B-B of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a
conventional hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm type,
while FIG. 9 is a cross-section view showing how a heating plate is
supported on a conventional V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional hair iron of V-shaped,
hair-sandwiching arm type has the surface of a shielding member
(204) covered by a protective sheet (211), and a pivot (208) of a
grip (206) on one end of a hair-sandwiching arm (207) that supports
a heating plate (201) by means of the shielding member (204)
permits connection of the heating plates (201) openably/closably,
with the force of a spring (212) provided at a bearing maintaining
the arms in open directions and a handy temperature selector switch
(220) permitting temperature change. However, a temperature
controller and temperature display (not shown) for heat-source
plates had to be positioned far away, because a void space (218)
formed in each hair-sandwiching arm (207) has poor steam cutoff
property. Even when the temperature was switched using the handy
selector switch (220), therefore, the operator had to perform the
cumbersome task of checking the distant temperature display
controlled by the temperature controller in order to confirm the
actual temperature.
[0060] FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of the heating plate supported
on the same conventional hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching
arm type where a gasket (202) is fitted at a base (203) of the
heating plate (201) on the void space (218) side of a heat-source
plate (215). The gasket (202) is fitted by means of accurately
aligning, at a joint (216), a pair of right and left shielding
members (204) from the right and left, and then securely affixing
to the heating plate (201) using screws (221). The fitting method
is not limited to screw-in, and the gasket can also be fitted by
filling calking agent or by bonding. Regardless of the fitting
method, however, the gasket (202) invariably changes its position
due to impact or a long period of use and creates a gap between the
shielding members (204) and the heating plate (201) as a result.
This in turns causes high-pressure steam to seep into the void
space (218) during the perm, and if a temperature controller or a
temperature display is placed in this void space, electrical damage
may occur as explained earlier.
[0061] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hair iron proposed by the
present invention has a gasket (102) fitted beforehand at each base
(103) of a heating plate (101) where hairs contact a
hair-sandwiching arm (107) (FIG. 2 shows a condition where the
gasket (102) is fitted, while FIG. 3 shows a cross-section view
taken along line A-A of FIG. 2). A heat-source plate (15) can be
temperature-adjusted by means of a temperature controller (113),
and the base (103) of the heating plate (101) placed adjacent to
the heat-source plate (115) is tapered (105), so that the gasket
(102) is fitted in a formed tapered void (119).
[0062] The hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm type
proposed by the present invention comprises a pair of
openable/closable hair-sandwiching arms (107). To constitute the
hair-sandwiching arm, a pair of right and left shielding members
must be assembled to securely support the heating plate (101). The
heating plate (101) adjacent to the heat-source plate (115) has the
gasket (102) pre-fitted as shown in FIG. 3, and this gasket-fitted
heating plate (101) is securely supported by attaching a pair of
right and left shielding members (104) from both sides and then
affixing as appropriately a joint (116) of the shielding members
(104) using screws, etc. When assembling the pair of right and left
shielding members (104) from both sides, the shielding members
(104) are moved closer toward the center from the right and left as
shown in FIG. 4 (in the directions of the right and left arrows
shown at the center of FIG. 4), in order to form a void space
(118). As the shielding members (104) are moved closer toward the
center from both sides, a convex part (117) of the inner wall of
each shielding member moves toward the center (inward) along the
tapered (105) surface of the heating plate base (103), consequently
engaging with the tapered void (119) and sealing the void space.
The heating plate moves toward the joint (116) of the shielding
members (104) (in the direction of the downward arrow shown at the
center of FIG. 4). As the convex part (117) of the shielding member
moves, the gasket (102) is pressured against the heating plate
(101) in all directions of right, left, up and down, and
consequently the convex part (117) of the shielding member is
completely engaged with the tapered void (119) as shown in FIG. 5,
with the gasket (102) securely fitted to the shielding members
(104) and thereby improving the steam cutoff property
dramatically.
[0063] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-section view of one (upper)
hair-sandwiching arm (107) of the pair (upper and lower, in the
figure) of hair-sandwiching arms each comprising the heating plate
(101) as proposed by the V-shaped hair iron body of the present
invention. The hair-sandwiching arm (107) securely supports the
heating plate (101) in the void space (118) shielded by the
shielding members (104), and the end of a grip (106) of the
aforementioned arm is openably/closably connected to a pivot (108).
The force of a spring (112) provided at a bearing maintains the
pair of openable/closable arms in open directions in normal
condition, while the pair of heating plates (101) are supported so
that they face each other and can sandwich and heat hairs. The
hair-sandwiching arm (107) has an appropriate protective sheet, an
affixing part (110) and a temperature display (114).
[0064] As explained above, the hair iron of V-shaped,
hair-sandwiching arm type proposed by the present invention has the
structure wherein the V-shaped grips (106) of the pair of
openable/closable hair-sandwiching arms (107) are connected
circularly movably via the pivotf (108). The spring force holds the
heating plates (101) in parallel when the arms (107) of the
V-shaped grips (106) are closed, thereby allowing the heating
plates to contact with each other over their entire surface as they
sandwich the hairs.
[0065] The arm (107) of each V-shaped grip (106) has the
heat-source plate (15) placed on the back of the heating plate
(101) (on the opposite side of the surface contacting hairs), and a
temperature selector switch (120) is used to heat the heating plate
(101) located adjacent to the heat-source plate (115) that is
temperature-adjusted by the temperature controller (113). The
temperature is then shown on the temperature display (114).
[0066] The hair iron of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm type
proposed by the present invention comprises the pair of right and
left shielding members (104) that are assembled from the right and
left as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, and these pair of
shielding members create a void space in which the heat-source
plate (115) and the heating plate (101) are stored, and another
void space on the grip (106) side. In FIG. 6, the temperature
controller (113) is positioned in the grip-side void space. Since
the present invention provides improved steam cutoff property by
way of tight-fitting a gasket, the temperature controller can also
be placed in the void space (118) on the heating plate (101)
side.
[0067] It is also effective to position a second gasket (109') at
the joint (116) of the pair of shielding members (104) connecting
the void space in which the heat-source plate and the heating plate
(101) are stored and the void space on the grip side, in order to
further improve the steam cutoff property with respect to both void
spaces. In other words, by placing the second gasket (109') as
shown in FIG. 7 that is a cross-section view taken along line B-B
of FIG. 6, high-temperature steam around the heating plate (101)
can be cut off and steam can be completely cut off from the void
space in which the heat-source plate and the heating plate are
stored as well as from the void space on the grip side.
[0068] The aforementioned hair iron proposed by the present
invention is used in the same manner as any conventional hair iron
of V-shaped, hair-sandwiching arm type is used. Specifically, perm
solution is applied to hairs, the heating plates (101) are heated
to a specified temperature, and then the V-shaped grips (106) are
operated to sandwich a specified amount of hairs between the
heating plates (101). At this time, high-temperature steam
generates as the perm solution on the hairs evaporates. This steam
is released from the heating plates (101) in four directions.
However, due to the gasket (102), which allows the heating plate
base (103) and the convex part (117) of each shielding member to
engage securely and completely in the tapered void along the taper
(105) when the pair of right and left shielding members (104) are
assembled from the right and left, the steam is completely cut off
from the formed void space. Therefore, the heat-source plate (115)
and the temperature controller (113) stored in the void space on
the grip side or the heating plate side can operate safely and
stably.
INDUSTRIAL FIELD OF APPLICATION
[0069] As explained above, the hair iron proposed by the present
invention allows a gasket to be securely fitted to the shielding
members by utilizing the tapered shapes provided at the bases of
heating plates attached on the opposing surfaces of the pair of
openable/closable arms that constitute the V-shaped hair iron.
Also, the elasticity of the heat-resistant, elastic gasket material
is maximally utilized to completely prevent seeping in of steam of
perm solution that generates during the perm. Also, a temperature
controller and a temperature display can be provided near the
operating hand, in addition to a temperature selector device, so
that the operator can control the temperature at his or her
fingertips and check the actual temperature with ease, which
significantly reduces the time and trouble of perm treatment.
* * * * *