U.S. patent application number 11/510906 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for curlingiron making heat source of heated fluid.
Invention is credited to Kang-Su Park.
Application Number | 20070000512 11/510906 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32291575 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070000512 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park; Kang-Su |
January 4, 2007 |
Curlingiron making heat source of heated fluid
Abstract
The object of this invention is to provide a curling iron using
heated fluid as its heat source. The curling iron of the present
invention is comprised of a fluid heating unit, a heating unit, and
curling tongs. Since the curling iron uses heated fluid as its heat
source for heating hair, the curling iron uses heated fluid as its
heat source for heating hair, the curling iron maintains a constant
temperature capable of accomplishing a desired curling effect and
prevents an excessive increase in its temperature so as to prevent
damage to the hair.
Inventors: |
Park; Kang-Su; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PARK LAW FIRM
3255 WILSHIRE BLVD
SUITE 1110
LOS ANGELES
CA
90010
US
|
Family ID: |
32291575 |
Appl. No.: |
11/510906 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10506758 |
Sep 8, 2004 |
|
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11510906 |
Aug 28, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/224 ;
132/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 2001/008 20130101;
A45D 1/20 20130101; A45D 1/02 20130101; A45D 2/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/224 ;
132/228 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/00 20060101
A45D001/00; A45D 6/06 20060101 A45D006/06 |
Claims
1. A curling iron, comprising: a) steam used as a heat source of
the iron; b) a steam generator electrically operated to produce the
steam, and including a plurality of steam outlet ports, a plurality
of steam supply control switches, a plurality of condensed water
inlet ports, and a plurality of check valves for preventing a flow
of the steam into the condensed water inlet ports; c) a heating
unit to transfer heat of the steam to a target material, including:
a steam feeding tube connected to one of the steam outlet ports of
the steam generator so as to feed the steam from the steam
generator; a steam storing/heat dissipating tube to receive the
steam fed through the steam feeding tube, store the steam therein,
and transfer heat of the steam to the target material; a condensed
water discharging unit connected to the steam storing/heat
dissipating tube so as to discharge condensed water produced by a
condensation of the steam in the steam storing/heat dissipating
tube; and a condensed water returning tube connected to the
condensed water discharging unit so as to return the condensed
water from the condensed water discharging unit to the steam
generator through one of the condensed water inlet port; and d)
curling tongs to support the heating unit so as to allow the
heating unit to heat the target material while the curling tongs
grasp the target material, including: a handle used as a grip of
the curling tongs, with a part of the steam feeding tube passing
through the handle; a main arm connected to the handle, and
supporting the steam storing/heat dissipating tube; a sub-arm
hinged to the main arm such that the sub-arm comes into contact
with or moves away from the steam storing/heat dissipating tube;
and a lever connected to the sub-arm so as to allow a user to
rotate the sub-arm relative to the main arm.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims
priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/506,758 filed Sep.
8, 2004, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a curling iron
using heated fluid as its heat source and, more particularly, to a
curling iron using heated fluid as its heat source for heating
hair, thus maintaining a constant temperature capable of
accomplishing a desired curling effect and preventing an excessive
increase in its temperature so as to prevent damage to the
hair.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] As well known to those skilled in the art, conventional
curling irons used for curling hair typically use electric coil
heaters as heat sources thereof. Such an electric coil heater for
the curling irons generates heat when it is operated by
electricity, so that the heat is directly transferred from the
heater to the hair during a curling process.
[0004] However, the conventional curling irons are problematic in
that they cannot maintain constant temperatures since they are
repeatedly turned on and turned off. The curling effect of the
conventional curling irons is thus reduced. In addition, the
temperature of the heater of the conventional curling iron is
sometimes excessively increased during a curling process, and, in
such a case, hair may be thermally damaged.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in
mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object
of the present invention is to provide a curling iron which uses
heated fluid as its heat source for heating hair, thus maintaining
a constant temperature capable of accomplishing a desired curling
effect and preventing an excessive increase in its temperature so
as to prevent damage to the hair.
[0006] In order to accomplish the above object, the present
invention provides a curling iron, comprising heated fluid used as
a heat source of the iron, a fluid heating unit which heats the
fluid used as the heat source, a heating unit which transfers heat
of the heated fluid to hair, and thereby curls the hair, and
curling tongs which support the heating unit so as to allow the
heating unit to heat the hair while the curling tongs grasp the
hair.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a curling iron, according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the curling iron of FIG. 1;
and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective dissectional view of the steam
generator.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0011] Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the
same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings
to designate the same or similar components.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a curling iron, according to
a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a
sectional view of the curling iron of FIG. 1.
[0013] The curling iron of the present invention uses heated fluid
as its heat source for heating a target material, that is, hair,
and, in the preferred embodiment of the drawings, the heated fluid
is steam 100. The steam 100 is typically increased in its
temperature to so that the steam 100 sufficiently heats the hair,
without thermally damaging the hair.
[0014] The curling iron of the present invention has a fluid
heating unit which heats a fluid used as the heat source. In the
preferred embodiment, the fluid heating unit is a steam generator
200 which is electrically operated to produce the steam 100. The
steam generator 200 includes a plurality of steam outlet ports 210,
a plurality of steam supply control switches 212, a plurality of
condensed water inlet ports 220, and a plurality of check valves
240 for preventing an undesired flow of the steam 100 into the
condensed water inlet ports 220.
[0015] A power cord 230 and a power switch 232 are provided at the
steam generator 200. The power cord 230 is used for supplying an
electric current from an electric power source to the steam
generator 200, while the power switch 232 is used for turning on or
off the steam generator 200.
[0016] The curling iron of the present invention also has a heating
unit which transfers heat of the steam 100 to hair, and thereby
curls the hair. The heating unit includes a steam feeding tube 300
that is connected to one of the steam outlet ports 210 of the steam
generator 200 so as to feed the steam 100 from the steam generator
200 to a steam storing/heat dissipating tube 310. The steam
dissipating tube 310 receives the steam 100 fed through the steam
feeding tube 300, stores the steam 100 therein, and transfers heat
of the steam 100 to the hair. A condensed water discharging unit
312 is connected to the steam storing/heat dissipating tube so as
to collect condensed water produced by a condensation of the steam
100 in the steam storing/heat dissipating tube 310, prior to
returning the condensed water to the steam generator 200 through
one of the condensed water inlet ports 220. A condensed water
returning tube 320 is connected at both ends thereof to the
condensed water discharging unit 312 and one of the condensed water
inlet ports 220, and returns the condensed water from the condensed
water discharging unit 312 to the steam generator 200 through the
condensed water inlet port 220.
[0017] When the steam 100 is fed from the steam generator 200 to
the steam storing/heat dissipating tube 310 through the steam
feeding tube 300, the steam 100 heats the steam feeding tube so
that the heated tube may burn a user when the user accidentally
comes into contact with the heated tube 300. In an effort to
overcome such a problem, it is preferred to finish the outer
surface of the steam feeding tube 300 with a thermal insulating
material.
[0018] The steam storing/heat dissipating tube is preferably
produced by using a metal having high thermal conductivity, and has
a shape which allows the steam dissipating tube 310 to come into
effective contact with the hair during a curling process.
[0019] The curling iron of the present invention further includes
curling tongs which support the heating unit so as to allow the
heating unit to heat the hair while the curling tongs grasp the
hair. The curling tongs are comprised of a handle 400, a main arm
410, a sub-arm 420, and a lever 430. The handle 400 is used as a
grip of the curling tongs, with a part of the steam feeding tube
300 axially passing through the handle 400. The main arm 410 is
connected to the handle 400, and supports the steam storing/heat
dissipating tube 310 therein.
[0020] The sub-arm 420 is hinged to the main arm 410 such that the
sub-arm 420 comes into contact with the steam storing/heat
dissipating tube of the main arm 410 to grasp the hair while the
hair is heated by the steam heat, or moves away from the steam
storing/heat dissipating tube 310 to release the hair after heating
the hair. The lever 430 is connected to the sub-arm 420 so as to
allow the user to rotate the sub-arm 420 relative to the main arm
410 around the hinged joint of the two arms 410 and 420.
[0021] Since the steam generator 200 has the plurality of steam
outlet ports 210 and the plurality of condensed water inlet ports
220, as described above, it is possible to connect a plurality of
steam feeding tubes 300 and a plurality of condensed water
returning tubes 320 to the steam generator 200, at the same time.
Therefore, two or more curling tongs may be used with the steam
generator 200 at the same time, so that two or more users may
simultaneously curl the hair of several persons by use of a single
steam generator 200. The curling irons of the present invention are
thus preferably used in beauty shops or other places in which a
plurality of hairdressers curl the hair of several persons at the
same time.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective dissectional view of the steam
generator 200 showing the flow of steam in the curling iron
according to the invention. The steam 100 from the steam generator
200 is supplied into the steam feeding tube 300 connected to the
steam outlet ports 210, and then transferred to the steam
storing/heat dissipating tube 310.
[0023] Water condensed from the steam 100 returns to the steam
generator 200 through the condensed water returning tube 320 and
the condensed water inlet port 220.
[0024] With the steam supply control switch 212 in FIG. 3 on, the
steam 100 is passed through the steam feeding tube 300. The check
valves 240 releases the steam 100 through the condensed water inlet
port 220.
[0025] The operational effect of the curling iron of the present
invention will be described herein below, with reference to the
drawings.
[0026] At first, the power switch 232 of the steam generator 200 is
turned on to allow the steam generator 200 to produce steam
100-therein. Thereafter, the steam feeding tube 300 is connected to
a selected one of the steam outlet ports 210 of the steam generator
200, and the condensed water returning tube 320 is connected to a
selected one of the condensed water inlet ports 220.
[0027] When a steam supply control switch 212 associated with the
selected steam outlet port 210 is turned on, the steam 100 flows
from the steam generator 200 into the steam feeding tube through
the steam outlet port 210. =p The steam 100 is, thereafter, fed
through the steam feeding tube 300 into the steam dissipating tube
that is supported by the main arm of the curling tongs. At the
steam storing/heat dissipating tube the steam 100 heats the tube so
that the tube radiates heat to the outside.
[0028] Therefore, when the user who grips the handle 400
manipulates the lever 430 to close the main and sub-arms 410 and
420, the two arms 410 and 420 grasp the hair while the steam
storing/heat dissipating tube heats the hair by use of the steam
heat, thus curling the hair.
[0029] During the curling process, the temperature of the steam 100
inside the steam storing/heat dissipating tube 310 is reduced, so
that the steam 100 is condensed to produce condensed water. The
condensed water is primarily collected in the condensed water
discharging unit 312, and sequentially passes through the condensed
water returning tube 320 and the condensed water inlet port 220,
thus being returned to the steam generator 200. The condensed water
discharging unit 312 is designed to discharge only the condensed
water from the steam storing/heat dissipating tube while preventing
leakage of the steam 100 from the steam storing/heat dissipating
tube 310 into the condensed water returning tube 320.
[0030] The steam 100 is condensed to water, which returns to the
steam generator 200 through the condensed water returning tube 320
and the condensed water inlet port 220.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0031] As described above, the present invention provides a curling
iron using heated fluid as its heat source for heating hair. The
curling iron of the present invention is comprised of a fluid
heating unit which heats the fluid to produce steam used as the
heat source, a heating unit which transfers heat of the steam to
hair, and thereby curls the hair, and curling tongs which support
the heating unit so as to allow the heating unit to heat the hair
while the curling tongs grasp the hair. Since the curling iron uses
heated fluid as its heat source for heating hair, the curling iron
maintains a constant temperature capable of accomplishing a desired
curling effect and prevents an excessive increase in its
temperature so as to prevent damage to the hair.
[0032] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the
art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
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