U.S. patent application number 12/271532 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-22 for hair straightening appliance with variable steam output control.
This patent application is currently assigned to CONAIR CORPORATION. Invention is credited to ANTHONY KIT LUN LEUNG.
Application Number | 20100180908 12/271532 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40639165 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100180908 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEUNG; ANTHONY KIT LUN |
July 22, 2010 |
HAIR STRAIGHTENING APPLIANCE WITH VARIABLE STEAM OUTPUT CONTROL
Abstract
A hair straightening device 1 comprises pair of handles
pivotally joined at a hinge 4. The upper handle 2 comprises an
upper plate 5 that is selectively heated. A water reservoir 8 is
removably mounted to the upper handle portion 2. As the handle
portions 2, 3 are closed toward each other, a valve actuating
member 11 on the lower handle portion 3 contacts a rubber bulb 12
located on the upper handle portion 2 compressing the bulb 12 to
force air through a tube 13 and through an air input opening 14 on
the reservoir 8, forcing open a one-way, flexible valve 15 the
allows the air to enter the interior 16 of the reservoir 8. The
pressure of the entering air displaces the water stored in the
reservoir and causes it to exit the reservoir 8 at an exit port 17
into a channel 18 of the upper handle portion 2 and plate 5. The
plate 5 may have one or more openings to release the steam that is
produced by the water, as the water receives heat from the plate 5
being heated. An adjustment lever 19 allows mechanical adjustment
of the actuating member 11 to various heights ranging from a low
height where it will not contact the bulb 12 (FIG. 4B) and, thus,
will cause zero steam to emit, to intermediate and highest height
(FIG. 4A) where a proportionate amount of air displacement and thus
steam emission occurs.
Inventors: |
LEUNG; ANTHONY KIT LUN;
(North Point, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Lawrence Cruz;Conair Corporation
One Cummings Point Road
STAMFORD
CT
06902
US
|
Assignee: |
CONAIR CORPORATION
Stamford
CT
|
Family ID: |
40639165 |
Appl. No.: |
12/271532 |
Filed: |
November 14, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60988477 |
Nov 16, 2007 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/223 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 2001/008 20130101;
A45D 1/06 20130101; A45D 2/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/223 |
International
Class: |
A45D 2/00 20060101
A45D002/00 |
Claims
1. A styling iron comprising a first elongated handle having a
heated plate, a first end, and a second end; a second elongated
handle having a heated plate, a first end, and a second end; a
hinge connected to each respective first end of said handles so
that said handles are pivotally connected to each other; an
electrical heat element associated with at least one of said heated
plates to heat said at least one plate; a water reservoir
associated with said heat element and adapted to be filled with
water; a water conduit connecting said water reservoir with an
outlet port in proximity to said heated plate that is associated
with said heat element; and a flexible bulb connected to said water
reservoir by an air conduit, said flexible bulb being adapted to
selectively deliver air to said water reservoir when said bulb is
compressed, thereby causing said air to displace said water and
cause said water to pass in proximity to said heat element and exit
said outlet port in the form of steam vapor.
2. A styling iron according to claim 1, further comprising an
adjustment member for adjusting the rate at which steam vapor is
emitted from said outlet port.
3. A styling iron according to claim 2, wherein said bulb is
located on one of said first and second handles; and said
adjustment member comprises an actuating member located on the
other of said first and second handles and adapted to contact said
bulb when said handles are closed toward each other.
4. A styling iron according to claim 3, wherein said actuating
member is adjustable and may be raised or lowered to between a
position in which it contacts said bulb, a position in which it
does not contact said bulb, and intermediate positions in which it
contact said bulb to varying degrees when said handles are closed
toward each other.
5. A styling iron according to claim 1, wherein said water
reservoir is removably mounted.
6. A styling iron according to claim 1, further comprising a
plurality of raised fins on one of said heated plates.
7. A styling iron according to claim 6, further comprising a groove
on the other one of said respective plates, said groove located
opposite said raised fins so that said groove and said fins engage
when said handles are closed toward each other.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/988477 filed 16 Nov. 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to electric handheld hair
straightening appliances and, more particularly, to handheld hair
straightening appliances that emit steam.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Various known handheld hair straightening appliances have a
pair of opposed, selectively heated plates that are each attached
to a handle portion. The handle portions are hingedly connected to
one another so that the assembly may be held on one hand an the
plates can be closed toward each other by pivoting about the hinge.
Some such devices include a water reservoir that delivers water to
a heat source to create steam, which is emitted through one or more
openings to apply steam to hair that is being compressed between
the heated plates. Varying amounts of heat and steam, along with
varying techniques, will produce various hair styling effects. In
such known devices, no means are provided for varying the steam
output.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
electrical handheld hair straightening with a steam output feature
that can be controlled selectively to vary steam output.
[0007] These and other objects are achieved by the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1A is a top view of a hair straightening device
according to the present invention shown in a closed position.
[0009] FIG. 1B is a side, cross-sectional view of a hair
straightening device according to the present invention shown in a
closed position.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of a hair
straightening device according to the present invention shown in an
opened position.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of a hair
straightening device according to the present invention shown in an
opened position.
[0012] FIG. 4A is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of a hair
straightening device according to the present invention shown in a
closed position with the steam setting on high.
[0013] FIG. 4B is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of a hair
straightening device according to the present invention shown in a
closed position with the steam setting off.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
[0014] Referring to the drawing figures, a hair straightening
device 1 comprises an upper handle portion 2 and a lower handle
portion 3, said handle portions 2, 3 being pivotally joined at a
hinge 4. The upper handle portion 2 comprises an upper plate 5 that
is selectively heated. The lower handle portion 3 comprises a lower
plate 6 that may or may not be selectively heated. Electrical
energy from an external source is delivered to the device 1 via an
electrical cord 7. The electrical energy causes the plate 5 or
plates 5, 6 to be selectively heated for styling hair that is
compressed between the two plates when they are closed toward each
other.
[0015] A water reservoir 8 is removably mounted to the upper handle
portion 2. While removed, the reservoir 8 is filled with water via
an input opening 9 that can be plugged and un-plugged by a rubber
plug 10. The reservoir is then re-installed onto the upper handle
portion 2. During use, as the handle portions 2, 3 are closed
toward each other, a valve actuating member 11 on the lower handle
portion 3 contacts a rubber bulb 12 located on the upper handle
portion 2. This causes the bulb 12 to compress and as the bulb 12
compresses it forces air through a tube 13 and through an air input
opening 14 on the reservoir 8, forcing open a one-way, flexible
valve 15 the allows the air to enter the interior 16 of the
reservoir 8. As air enters the reservoir 8, the pressure of the
entering air displaces the water stored in the reservoir and causes
it to exit the reservoir 8 at an exit port 17 into a channel 18 of
the upper handle portion 2 and plate 5. The plate 5 may have one or
more openings to release the steam that is produced by the water,
as the water receives heat from the plate 5 being heated. An
adjustment lever 19 allows mechanical adjustment of the actuating
member 11 to various heights ranging from a low height where it
will not contact the bulb 12 (FIG. 4B) and, thus, will cause zero
steam to emit, to intermediate and highest height (FIG. 4A) where a
proportionate amount of air displacement and thus steam emission
occurs.
[0016] While not limited to any one particular embodiment of hair
straightening irons, one preferred embodiment of the present
invention is with a design in which the lower plate 6 is provided
with openings 19 aligned along a longitudinal axis that accommodate
a plurality of fins 20 that are adjusted to protrude partially, all
the way or not at all through the openings 19, whereby the fins 20
are aligned transversely to the longitudinal axis and assist in
guiding hair when the device 1 is pulled in a transverse direction
along the hair. A lever 21 may be provided to activate such
adjustment of the fins 20. Various ridges 22 may be provided at
different locations of the exterior of the device 1 to assist in
gripping and to prevent contact with heated surfaces. A visual
display 23 may be provided to display operating mode and setting
information.
[0017] While the preferred embodiments have been shown and
described, various modifications can be made without departing from
the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *