U.S. patent application number 11/490629 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-21 for hair styling appiance with heated plates and hot air fan.
Invention is credited to Anthony Kit Lun Leung.
Application Number | 20080041409 11/490629 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38981966 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080041409 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leung; Anthony Kit Lun |
February 21, 2008 |
Hair styling appiance with heated plates and hot air fan
Abstract
A hair appliance (10) has a combination of heating plates (14,
15) and a fan (19) source of heated, forced air to selectively
apply either or both to a user's hair.
Inventors: |
Leung; Anthony Kit Lun;
(North Point, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Lawrence Cruz;Conair Corporation
One Cummings Point Road
STAMFORD
CT
06902
US
|
Family ID: |
38981966 |
Appl. No.: |
11/490629 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/224 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20130101; A45D
7/02 20130101; A45D 20/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/224 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/00 20060101
A45D001/00; A45D 2/40 20060101 A45D002/40 |
Claims
1. A hair appliance comprising a first handle portion; a second
handle portion; a hinge pivotally joining said first handle portion
to said handle portion at a respective proximal end of each; a
first heat plate located on a distal end of said first handle
portion; a first heat element associated with said first heat plate
for heating said first heat plate; a second heat plate located on a
distal end of said second handle portion; a second heat element
associated with said second heat plate for heating said second heat
plate; a first interior passage within said first handle portion; a
fan mounted in said first interior passage for moving air within
said first interior passage; a fan heater mounted near said fan for
heating air that is moved by said fan; an electrical energy input
channel for delivering electricity to operate said first heat
element, said second heat element, said fan, and said fan heater; a
plurality of air outlet openings in communication with said first
interior passage for said air to exit after it is heated and moved
by said fan; and at least one air inlet opening in communication
with said first interior passage for enabling external air to be
delivered to said first interior passage.
2. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a second
interior passage within said second handle portion; and a plurality
of vent openings on said second handle and in communication with
said second interior passage to allow air to flow therethrough.
3. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an
internal switch system mounted within at least one of said first
handle portion or said second handle portion that is activated when
said first handle portion and said second handle portion are in an
at least partially closed condition and that is de-activated when
said first hand portion and said second handle portion are in an
opened position, wherein activation of said internal switch causes
said fan to operate and de-activation of said internal switch
causes said fan to cease operation.
4. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a display
mounted on one of said first handle portion and said second handle
portion for visually indicating an operating condition of said
appliance.
5. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a metal
plate having a non-smooth surface portion mounted to one of said
first handle portion and said second handle portion.
6. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a raised
ridge between a proximal end and a distal end of one of said first
handle portion and said second handle portion.
7. An appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a heat
setting control for selectively adjusting temperature of said heat
plates.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to hair appliances and, more
particularly, to hair appliances for applying heat while used for
styling hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Existing appliances exist that are used for styling hair.
Appliances that use heated plates for pressing a tuft of hair to
straighten or style the hair generally comprise a handheld unit
having an electrical heat element in thermal communication with
heated plates of metal. Other appliances deliver forced air from a
heat element juxtaposed next to a fan, as in a handheld hair dryer
or a hot air brush.
[0004] Each of the above-mentioned types of known hair appliances
has distinct benefits for styling hair and, depending on the
circumstances, one is more desirable than the other. Sometimes a
user may find one of them most suitable on one occasion, and the
other most suitable on another occasion. At other times, a use may
use both appliances in sequence during a single hair styling
session. Thus, two separate appliances are required.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
versatile, multi-function, single hair appliance that achieves the
benefits of a plurality of appliances of the type described above.
These objects and others are achieved by the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned objects
through a novel hair appliance having a combination of heating
plates and a source of heated, forced air to selectively apply
either or both to a user's hair.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1A is a top view of a device according to the present
invention.
[0008] FIG. 1B is a distal end view of a device according to the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 1C is a side view of a device according to the present
invention shown in a closed position.
[0010] FIG. 1D is a proximal end view of a device according to the
present invention.
[0011] FIG. 1E is a bottom view of a device according to the
present invention.
[0012] FIG. 1F is a side view of a device according to the present
invention shown in an opened position.
[0013] FIG. 1G is a partial, top view of a portion of a device
according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 1H is a side, cross-sectional view of a device
according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] A hair appliance (10) according to the present invention
comprises an upper handle portion (11), a lower handle portion
(12), and a hinge (13) connecting the respective portions (11, 12).
An upper heat plate (14) is attached to the upper handle portion
(11) and a lower heat plate (15) is attached to the lower handle
portion (12), each in a position such that they are facing each
other and can be pressed into contact with each other when the
handle portions (11, 12) are pivoted about the hinge (13) toward
each other. An internal plate heating assembly (16, 17) is
associated with each plate (14, 15) to deliver heat thereto, said
heating assemblies being electrically-powered as is know to those
skilled in the art. A power cord (18) delivers electricity from an
external source. A fan and heater assembly (19) resides in a
chamber internally in the upper handle portion (12) to provide
heated, flowing air in a manner known to those skilled in the art.
A display panel (20) is provided for displaying operating
information such as temperature or settings, and it may be a light
emitting diode (LED). LCD, or other known type of display. A metal
panel (21) having textured dimples for enhanced grip is provided.
The use of metal for the panel (21) provides a very durable,
corrosion-resistant, scratch-resistant and easily cleaned surface.
A set of raised ridges (22) are provided as a gripping element that
will prevent slippage of the appliance (10) relative to the hand by
serving as a stop if the appliance (10) slips to the point of
contacting a user's thumb or finger while the appliance (10) is
gripped on the panel (20). Side vents (23) provide an external air
intake for the fan assembly (19). Distal end gripping ridges (24)
are provided for additional gripping ability. Control buttons (25,
26) are provided for increasing or decreasing temperature or
setting when the power switch button (27) is activated. A hot air
button (28) is provided to independently activate the fan and
heater assembly (19). An internal contact switch (29) is provided
so that when the hot air button (28) is activated, upon closing the
handle portions (11, 12) together, the internal contact switch (29)
switches the fan and heater assembly (19) on to cause heated air to
flow out of airflow openings (30) in the heat plates (14, 15). The
heat plates (14, 15) are identical, so only one (14) is featured in
the view of FIG. 1G. Venting openings (31) are provided on the back
side of each of the handle portions (11, 12) and they are in
communication with the interior of each handle portion (11, 12) and
the airflow openings (30) to prevent pressure buildup inside of the
handle portions (11, 12) if, for example, a tuft of hair closed
between the heat plates (14, 15) obstructs flow from the airflow
openings (30). Another intake vent (32) is provided on the lower
handle portion (12), as well as a set of raised ridges (33) are
provided on the lower handle portion (12) to prevent slippage from
a user's hand. A swivel mechanism (34) enables the power cord (18)
to be rotatably mounted. A comb attachment (36) may be provided to
assist in styling.
[0016] In operation, the appliance (10) is held in a user's hand
and is initially in an opened position as shown in FIG. 1F. By
depressing the power button (27), the user can then select a heat
setting using the control buttons (25, 26). The user may then place
a tuft of the user's hair between the heat plates (14, 15) and
close the handle portions (11, 12) together as shown in FIG. 1C by
pivoting them about the hinge (13). If desired, the user can
activate the hot air function by depressing the hot air button
(28). In this mode, hot air will be emitted from the openings (30)
when the plates (14, 15) are close together or touching, as shown
in FIG. 1C, but hot air will cease to be emitted when the plates
(14,15) are apart as in the opened position as shown in FIG.
1F.
[0017] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been herein described, various modification may be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
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