U.S. patent application number 12/880427 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-17 for adjustable-barrel curling iron.
Invention is credited to Cyan GODFREY, David Milton, Nathan WANG, Christopher Ryan YAHNKER.
Application Number | 20110061673 12/880427 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43729264 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110061673 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YAHNKER; Christopher Ryan ;
et al. |
March 17, 2011 |
ADJUSTABLE-BARREL CURLING IRON
Abstract
An adjustable barrel, a barrel-adjustment assembly, and an
adjustable distal tip assembly. The barrel is radially adjustable
between an expanded position and a contracted position having
different diameters. The barrel-adjustment assembly includes a
barrel cam, a gear-set, and a rotary adjustment ring. The barrel
cam rotates to unwrap and wrap the barrel thereabout between the
expanded and contracted positions. The gear-set rotationally drives
the barrel cam. The adjustment ring can be longitudinally
translated from a disengaged position to an engaged position. In
the disengaged position the gear-set is disengaged (but an
anti-rotation assembly is engaged) and in the engaged position the
gear-set is engaged (and the anti-rotation assembly is disengaged).
Once in the disengaged position, the adjustment ring can be
rotated, which causes the engaged gear-set to rotate the barrel
cam, which in turn wraps and unwraps the barrel about the cam into
increased or decreased diameters.
Inventors: |
YAHNKER; Christopher Ryan;
(Raleigh, NC) ; GODFREY; Cyan; (Chapel Hill,
NC) ; WANG; Nathan; (Raleigh, NC) ; Milton;
David; (Garner, NC) |
Family ID: |
43729264 |
Appl. No.: |
12/880427 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61241526 |
Sep 11, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
132/232 ;
219/225 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20130101; A45D
1/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/232 ;
219/225 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20060101
A45D001/04 |
Claims
1. An adjustable-barrel curling iron, comprising: a handle; a
pivotal clip; a radially-adjustable barrel having an outer end and
an inner end that overlap each other in a spiral configuration; at
least one heater that provides heat to the barrel; and a
barrel-adjustment assembly including a rotary adjustment ring, a
rotation-transferring linkage, and a barrel cam, wherein the rotary
adjustment ring rotates relative to the handle and is operably
coupled to the rotation-transferring linkage, and the inner end of
the barrel is coupled to the barrel cam, wherein when the rotary
adjustment ring is rotated its rotary motion is transferred to the
barrel cam by the rotation-transferring linkage, and the rotation
of the barrel cam wraps and unwraps the barrel about the barrel cam
to change the diameter of the barrel and radially adjust the barrel
between an expanded position and a contracted position.
2. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 1, wherein the
heater is a flexible heating element attached to an inner surface
of the barrel to provide heat to the barrel.
3. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 1, wherein the
rotary adjustment ring longitudinally translates relative to the
handle between an engaged position and a disengaged position,
wherein in the engaged position the rotation-transferring linkage
is engaged to rotate the barrel cam and in the disengaged position
it is not.
4. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 3, wherein the
rotary adjustment ring is spring-biased to toward the disengaged
position.
5. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 3, wherein the
rotary adjustment ring includes an anti-rotation assembly having at
least one protrusion that engages another component of the curling
iron when the rotary adjustment ring is in the disengaged position
to prevent rotation of the rotary adjustment ring when the rotary
adjustment ring is in the disengaged position.
6. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 5, further
comprising a fixed ring that does not rotate relative to the
handle, wherein the anti-rotation assembly includes a plurality of
protrusions extending from one of the rotary adjustment ring and
the fixed ring and a plurality of mating recesses formed in the
other of the rotary adjustment ring and the fixed ring.
7. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 1, wherein the
rotation-transferring linkage comprises an adjustment gear-set.
8. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 7, wherein the
adjustment gear-set includes a drive gear and a cam gear, the drive
gear is operably coupled to and rotates with the rotary adjustment
ring, the cam gear is rotationally driven by the drive gear, and
the barrel cam is coupled to and rotates with the cam gear.
9. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 1, further
comprising an adjustable distal end assembly comprising a plurality
of fan blades configured to cover a distal end of the barrel as the
diameter of the barrel is changed.
10. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 9, wherein the
adjustable distal end assembly further comprises a distal tip
cover, wherein the fan blades are coupled to and extend between the
tip cover and the distal end of the barrel so that they overlap and
layer upon one another in a decreased-diameter arrangement when the
barrel is in the contracted position and they fan out into an
increased-diameter arrangement when the barrel is in the expanded
position.
11. An adjustable-barrel curling iron, comprising: a handle; a
pivotal clip; a radially-adjustable barrel having an outer end and
an inner end that overlap each other in a spiral configuration; at
least one heater that provides heat to the barrel; and a
barrel-adjustment assembly including a fixed ring, a rotary
adjustment ring, an adjustment gear-set, and a barrel cam, wherein
the rotary adjustment ring rotates relative to the handle and the
fixed ring and is operably coupled to the adjustment gear-set, and
the inner end of the barrel is coupled to the barrel cam, wherein
when the rotary adjustment ring is rotated its rotary motion is
transferred to the barrel cam by the adjustment gear-set, and the
rotation of the barrel cam wraps and unwraps the barrel about the
barrel cam to change the diameter of the barrel and radially adjust
the barrel between an expanded position and a contracted position,
and wherein the rotary adjustment ring longitudinally translates
relative to the handle and the fixed ring between an engaged
position and a disengaged position, in the engaged position the
adjustment gear-set is engaged to rotate the barrel cam and in the
disengaged position it is not, and the rotary adjustment ring is
spring-biased to toward the disengaged position.
12. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, wherein barrel
cam extends longitudinally from the adjustment gear-set and is
non-concentric with the fixed ring.
13. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, wherein the
heater is a flexible heating element attached to an inner surface
of the barrel to provide heat to the barrel.
14. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 13, wherein the
flexible heating element is made of kapton, mylar, or silicone.
15. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, wherein the
adjustment gear-set includes a drive gear and a cam gear, the drive
gear is operably coupled to and rotates with the rotary adjustment
ring, the cam gear is rotationally driven by the drive gear, and
the barrel cam is coupled to and rotates with the cam gear.
16. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, wherein the
rotary adjustment ring includes an anti-rotation assembly having at
least one protrusion extending from one of the rotary adjustment
ring and the fixed ring that matingly engages a component of the
other of the rotary adjustment ring and the fixed ring to prevent
rotation of the rotary adjustment ring when the rotary adjustment
ring is in the disengaged position.
17. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, wherein the
rotary adjustment ring includes an anti-rotation assembly having a
plurality of protrusions extending from one of the rotary
adjustment ring and the fixed ring and a plurality of recessed
formed in the other of the rotary adjustment ring and the fixed
ring that matingly engage each other when the rotary adjustment
ring is in the disengaged position to prevent rotation of the
rotary adjustment ring when the rotary adjustment ring is in the
disengaged position.
18. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 11, further
comprising an adjustable distal end assembly comprising a plurality
of fan blades configured to cover a distal end of the barrel as the
diameter of the barrel is changed.
19. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 18, wherein the
adjustable distal end assembly further comprises a distal tip
cover, wherein the fan blades are coupled to and extend between the
tip cover and the distal end of the barrel so that they overlap and
layer upon one another in a decreased-diameter arrangement when the
barrel is in the contracted position and they fan out into an
increased-diameter arrangement when the barrel is in the expanded
position.
20. The adjustable-barrel curling iron of claim 18, wherein the fan
blades are elongated and generally triangular, with wide ends of
the fan blades attached to the distal end of the barrel and narrow
ends attached to the tip cover.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/241,526, filed Sep. 11,
2009, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Many women use electric hair-care appliances such as hair
dryers, flat irons, and curling irons to style their hair.
Conventional curling irons have a heated barrel that is used to
create curls in the hair. Different-sized curls are sometimes
desirable to create different styles suited for an occasion,
outfit, trend, preference, current hair-length, etc. To create
different-sized curls, different-sized curling iron barrels must be
used. Thus, in order to be able to style their hair with
different-sized curls, many women have several different curling
irons each with a different-sized barrel. However, many women have
limited storage space for curling irons and other hair-care
appliances, and arranging for sufficient storage space can be a
real problem.
[0003] In addition, there are usually a limited number of
electrical outlets available in bathrooms, where most hairstyling
is done. For women who use multiple electric hair-care appliances,
it's common to add plug-in outlet expansions and/or power strips.
This can lead to a potential safety hazard by too much current draw
interfering with GFCI operation and/or causing circuit
overloads.
[0004] Accordingly, it can be seen that there exists a need for a
better way for women to conveniently and safely create
different-sized curls in their hair. It is to the provision of
solutions to this and other problems that the present invention is
primarily directed.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present invention relates to adjustable-barrel curling
irons for curling hair into different-sized curls. In one example
embodiment there is provided a curling iron comprising a handle, a
pivotal clip, a barrel-adjustment assembly, and an adjustable end
assembly. The barrel-adjustment assembly comprises an adjustment
ring, a fixed ring, an adjustable diameter barrel, and a barrel
cam, wherein the adjustment ring and the fixed ring can be
manipulated to change the diameter of the barrel by wrapping the
barrel upon the barrel cam. The barrel is a coiled sheet comprising
a flexible heating element. The adjustable end assembly comprises a
plurality of fan blades, constructed to provide coverage for the
end of the barrel as the diameter of the barrel is changed.
[0006] In other example embodiments, adjustable-barrel curling
irons are provided with adjustable heated fingers, a telescoping
barrel, a swappable/invertible barrel, an extending heated coil
barrel, and a woven cylinder barrel.
[0007] These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the
invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures
and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of
the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in
the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing
general description and the following brief description of the
drawings and detailed description of the invention are explanatory
of example embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of
the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a first perspective view of an adjustable-barrel
curling iron according to a first example embodiment of the present
invention, showing an adjustable barrel in a fully expanded
position.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the adjustable-barrel
curling iron of FIG. 1, with a portion of a flexible distal tip not
shown for clarity, showing the adjustable barrel in a fully
contracted position.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a third perspective view of the adjustable-barrel
curling iron of FIG. 1, with the adjustable distal tip assembly not
shown for clarity, showing the adjustable barrel in the fully
expanded position.
[0011] FIG. 4 shows the adjustable-barrel curling iron of FIG. 3
with the adjustable barrel in a partially contracted, intermediate
position.
[0012] FIG. 5 shows the adjustable-barrel curling iron of FIG. 3
with the adjustable barrel in the fully contracted position.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a right end view of the adjustable-barrel curling
iron of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a right end view of the adjustable-barrel curling
iron of FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a right end view of the adjustable-barrel curling
iron of FIG. 5.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a
barrel-adjustment assembly of the adjustable-barrel curling iron of
FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-section view of the
barrel-adjustment assembly of the adjustable-barrel curling iron of
FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternative
barrel-adjustment assembly for use with the adjustable-barrel
curling iron of FIG. 1, with a ring-driven gear and a drive gear
shown without all their gear teeth for clarity.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a barrel-adjustment
assembly of an adjustable-barrel curling iron according to a second
example embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the barrel-adjustment
assembly of FIG. 12 shown in a fully expanded position.
[0021] FIG. 14 shows the barrel-adjustment assembly of FIG. 13 in a
fully expanded position
[0022] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a fabric barrel cover for
the barrel-adjustment assembly of FIG. 12.
[0023] FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of an adjustable-barrel
curling iron according to a third example embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an adjustable-barrel
curling iron according to a fourth example embodiment of the
present invention, showing an adjustable barrel in a fully expanded
position.
[0025] FIG. 18 shows the adjustable-barrel curling iron of FIG. 17
in a fully contracted position.
[0026] FIG. 19 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a
barrel-adjustment assembly of the adjustable-barrel curling iron of
FIG. 17.
[0027] FIG. 20 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a
barrel-adjustment assembly of an adjustable-barrel curling iron
according to a fifth example embodiment of the present invention,
shown in a fully contracted position.
[0028] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the barrel-adjustment
assembly of the adjustable-barrel curling iron of FIG. 20, shown in
a fully expanded position.
[0029] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a barrel-adjustment
assembly of an adjustable-barrel curling iron according to a sixth
example embodiment, shown in a fully expanded position.
[0030] FIG. 23 shows the barrel-adjustment assembly of FIG. 22 in a
fully contracted position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0031] The present invention may be understood more readily by
reference to the following detailed description of the invention
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which
form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this
invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods,
conditions, or parameters of the example embodiments described
and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example
only. Thus, the terminology is intended to be broadly construed and
is not intended to be unnecessarily limiting of the claimed
invention. For example, as used in the specification including the
appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include
the plural, the term "or" means "and/or," and reference to a
particular numerical value includes at least that particular value,
unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, any
methods described herein are not intended to be limited to the
sequence of steps described but can be carried out in other
sequences, unless expressly stated otherwise herein. Any and all
patents and other publications identified in this specification are
incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
[0032] With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like
reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout the
several views, FIGS. 1-10 show an adjustable-barrel curling iron 10
according to a first example embodiment. The curling iron 10
includes a handle 12, a pivotal clip 14, a barrel-adjustment
assembly 20, an adjustable barrel 26, at least one heater 30, and
an adjustable distal tip assembly 40.
[0033] The handle 12 can be of a conventional type used in
commercially available curling irons, with a generally cylindrical
and elongated shape, as depicted. A user interface 13 and controls
(not shown) are included, for example, as part of the handle 12.
The user interface 13 and controls can be of a conventional type
used in commercially available curling irons, for example,
including a temperature control circuit for controlling the
temperature, an on/off switch, and other operational controls of
the curling iron 10.
[0034] The pivotal clip 14 can be of a conventional typical used in
commercially available curling irons. Thus, the pivotal clip 14 is
pivotally coupled to a fixed component of the curling iron 10 so it
can pivot between an open position (not shown) and a closed
position (see FIG. 1) where it clamps hair down onto the barrel 26
for curling. For example, the pivotal clip 14 can be attached to
attachment tabs on a fixed ring 24 (described below with reference
to the barrel-adjustment assembly 20).
[0035] The barrel-adjustment assembly 20 is located at the distal
end portion of the handle 12 and the proximal end portion of the
barrel 26. The barrel-adjustment assembly 20 includes a fixed ring
24, a rotary adjustment ring 22, a rotation-transferring linkage
such as an adjustment gear-set 34, and a barrel cam 28. These
components can be made of a material such as a hard plastic
material.
[0036] The fixed ring 24 is fixedly attached to a stationary
component of the curling iron 10. For example, the fixed ring 24
can be fixedly attached to the handle 12 by a center connection rod
along the longitudinal axis of the curling iron 10 (not shown) or
by conventional connecting structures as would be understood by
persons of ordinary skill in the art.
[0037] The rotary adjustment ring 22 is positioned adjacent the
fixed ring 24, for example, between the handle 12 and the fixed
ring. In addition, the rotary adjustment ring 22 is rotationally
and translationally mounted to a stationary component of the
curling iron 10, for example, the handle 12. For example, the
rotary adjustment ring 22 can include a circumferential flange 35
that rotationally mounts it to the handle 12 and a clutch-plate
spring 31 that translationally mounts it to the handle. In this
way, the rotary adjustment ring 22 rotates (as indicated by the
rotary directional arrows of FIG. 10) and axially translates (as
indicated by the linear directional arrows of FIG. 10) relative to
the handle 12, while the fixed ring 24 does neither.
[0038] The rotary adjustment ring 22 axially translates between an
engaged position (see FIGS. 9-10) and a disengaged position (not
shown). In the engaged position, the rotary adjustment ring 22
engages (directly itself or indirectly by an anti-rotation
assembly) the fixed ring 24, and in the disengaged position it is
retracted from such engagement. For example, the rotary adjustment
ring 22 can include a clutch plate 21 that is positioned at its
distal end and that engages the fixed ring 24 in the engaged
position. The rotary adjustment ring 22 is biased toward the
engaged position by the clutch-plate spring 31. The clutch-plate
spring 31 can be provided by for example a compression coil spring
(as depicted), a leaf spring, or another elastic member that biases
against the distal end-wall of the handle 12.
[0039] The adjustment ring 22 further includes an anti-rotation
assembly that prevents it from rotating when in the engaged
position. The anti-rotation assembly includes at least one
protrusion that either extends distally from the rotary adjustment
ring 22 to engage a stationary component of the curling iron 10
such as the fixed ring 24 (as depicted), or that extends proximally
from a stationary component of the curling iron such as the fixed
ring to engage the rotary adjustment ring 22. In a typical
embodiment, for example, the anti-rotation assembly includes a
plurality of evenly spaced protrusions 23 arranged in a circle on
the distal surface of the clutch plate 21 that are received in a
plurality of alignable recesses 25 on the proximal surface of the
fixed ring 24 (see FIGS. 9-10). Thus, the recesses 25 on the
proximal surface of the fixed ring 24 are evenly spaced by the same
distance and arranged in a circle of the same radius as the
protrusions 23. The protrusions 23 and recesses 25 can be generally
semi-spherical (as depicted) or they can have another regular or
irregular shape such that they mate together. When the adjustment
ring 22 is in the engaged position, the protrusions 24 are received
in the recesses 25 while the clutch-plate spring 31 biases the
clutch plate against the fixed ring 24, thereby restraining the
adjustment ring 22 from rotational motion. But when the adjustment
ring 22 is in the disengaged position, the protrusions 24 are
retracted from the recesses 25, thereby freeing the adjustment ring
22 to be rotated by the user.
[0040] In alternative embodiments, the protrusions extend
proximally from the fixed ring and the recesses are formed in the
distal surface of the clutch plate. And in other alternative
embodiments, the at least one protrusion of the anti-rotation
assembly is provided by a pawl of a ratchet assembly, a tab or
hook, or another protruding structure that selectively interferes
with another element to prevent rotation of the adjustment ring 22
when its in the engaged position.
[0041] The adjustment gear-set 34 includes an adjustment drive gear
27 and a barrel cam gear 29 that meshingly engage each other when
the adjustment ring 22 is in the engaged position (see FIGS. 9-10)
but that are not engaged when the adjustment ring 22 translated to
the disengaged position. The adjustment drive gear 27 is fixedly
coupled to the adjustment ring 22 so that they rotate together. For
example, a drive gear shaft 32 can extend through an aperture in
the proximal end-wall of the fixed ring 24 and connect the clutch
plate 21 and the drive gear 27. The barrel cam gear 29 is
rotationally coupled to a stationary component of the curling iron
10 such as the fixed ring 24 so that the cam gear is free to rotate
when driven by the drive gear 27. For example, a cam gear shaft 33
can extend from the cam gear 29 and rotationally connect to the
proximal end-wall of the fixed ring 24. In alternative embodiments,
a rotation-transferring linkage is provided without gears but with
other linkages that transfer the rotary motion of the adjustment
ring 22 to the barrel cam 28, including for example, pulley
systems, belts, chains, or the like.
[0042] The barrel cam 28 extends longitudinally from the barrel cam
gear 29 and is non-concentric with the fixed ring 24 (see FIGS.
9-10). The barrel cam 28 can be provided by an elongate member with
a length that extends at least a substantial portion of the length
of the barrel 26.
[0043] The barrel 26 is constructed from a strong, flexible,
thermal-conductive material, such as light gage steel. The material
is initially in the shape of a flat sheet, and is then rolled into
a generally cylindrical shape. In cross-section, the cylindrical
barrel 26 has overlapping inner and outer ends 36 and 37 in a
spiral configuration. The inner end 36 of the barrel 26 is attached
to the barrel cam 28, and the barrel is coiled around the barrel
cam non-concentrically. The barrel 26 is radially adjustable
between an expanded position (see FIGS. 1, 3, and 6), at least one
intermediate position (see FIGS. 4 and 7), and a contracted
position (see FIGS. 2, 5, and 8).
[0044] The heater 30 can be provided by a flexible heating element
made of kapton, mylar, silicone, or another material, that is
bonded or otherwise attached to the inner surface of the barrel 26
to provide heat to the barrel. The heater 30 is sized and
constructed so that it coils around the barrel cam 28 when the
barrel 26 is adjusted smaller. This enables the heater 30 to remain
in constant and continuous contact with the barrel 26 to provide
even and uniform heating. To insure proper heating of the barrel
26, a thermistor can be attached to the bottom of the heater 30 and
barrel to provide feedback to the temperature control circuit. All
wires for the heater 30 and thermistor can be routed through an
aperture in an inner surface of the fixed ring 24 near the barrel
cam 28. By positioning the wires through this aperture in this
location, bending and flexing of the wires is minimized during the
adjustment of the barrel 26, and the wires are concealed and
protected from the moving parts throughout the entire range of
motion. In alternative embodiments, the heater can be provided by
electric heating rods, coils, or other conventional heating
elements that are attached to or positioned proximate the barrel to
provide heat to the barrel.
[0045] The adjustable distal end assembly 40 is located at and
forms the distal end of the curling iron 10. The adjustable distal
end assembly 40 includes a plurality of fan blades 42 and a distal
tip cover 16. The fan blades 42 are coupled to and extend between
the tip cover 16 and the distal end of the barrel 26 such that they
overlap and layer upon one another in a decreased-diameter
arrangement when the barrel 26 is in the contracted position and
they fan out into an increased-diameter arrangement when the barrel
is in the expanded position (see FIG. 1). In this way, the
adjustable distal end assembly 40 provides adjustable coverage for
the open end of the barrel 26 as its diameter is radially adjusted
(increased or decreased).
[0046] For example, in the depicted embodiment, the fan blades 42
are elongated and generally triangular, and are made from a
flexible and heat resistant material. The wide ends of the fan
blades 42 are attached to the distal end portion of the barrel 26
and the narrow ends are attached to the tip cover 16. And the tip
cover 16 is attached to the distal end of the barrel cam 28, which
in the depicted embodiment has a length that extends longer than
that of the barrel 26.
[0047] Having described the major components and construction of
the curling iron 10, its operation and use will now be described.
In FIGS. 1, 3, and 6, the barrel 26 is the expanded position and
the rotary adjustment ring 22 is in the disengaged position. Thus,
the drive gear 27 and the cam gear 29 are out of engagement with
one another and the clutch plate 21 is fully biased against the
fixed ring 24 with the protrusions 23 fully engaged with the
recesses 25. The curling iron 10 in this state can be used to make
larger-diameter curls.
[0048] To adjust the diameter of the barrel 26 smaller to make
small-diameter curls, the user grasps the adjustment ring 22 and
translationally moves it to the engaged position of FIGS. 9-10. In
the depicted embodiment, for example, the user retracts the
adjustment ring 22 in the proximal direction indicated by the
linear arrows of FIG. 10. Retracting the adjustment ring 22
retracts the clutch plate 21 and thereby retracts the protrusions
23 from engagement with the recesses 25, thereby allowing the
adjustment ring to be rotated. Retracting the adjustment ring 22
also retracts the drive gear 27 from its disengaged position
forward/distal of the cam gear 29 into the depicted engaged
position with the teeth of the two gears meshing. With the
adjustment ring 22 so retracted, the user then rotates the
adjustment ring 22 as indicated by the rotational arrows of FIG.
10. This rotation in turn rotates the drive gear 27, which
rotationally drives the cam gear 29 (in an opposite direction),
which in turn rotates the barrel cam 28. The rotation of the barrel
cam 28 pulls on the inner end 36 of the barrel 26 and causes it to
rotate and wrap around the barrel cam as it submerges under the
outer end 37 of the barrel. Thus, as the adjustment ring 22 is
rotated, the barrel cam 28 rotates and winds in the barrel 26
around it to cause the barrel to have a decreased diameter.
[0049] As can be seen by the position of the inner end 36 of the
barrel 26 in FIGS. 4 and 7, in the depicted embodiment the barrel
cam 28 has been rotated by about 90 degrees to adjust the barrel 26
to the intermediate position shown. The user then returns the
adjustment ring 22 to the disengaged position. In the depicted
embodiment, for example, the user merely releases the adjustment
ring 22, then the clutch-plate spring 31 biases it back to the
disengaged position and the anti-rotation assembly holds it there
(e.g., with the protrusions 23 engaging the recesses 25 they are
then aligned with to lock the clutch plate 21 against any unwanted
angular rotation). As can also be seen, the non-concentric
arrangement of the barrel cam 28 and the barrel 26 allows the
pivotal clip 14 to rest along the surface of the barrel even though
the diameter of the barrel has been changed. The user can now use
the curling iron 10 to make curls with a smaller diameter than
could be made in the expanded position.
[0050] This same adjustment process can be used to adjust the
diameter of the barrel 26 larger back to the expanded position or
smaller to the contracted position (see FIGS. 2, 5, and 8). For
example, when adjusting the barrel 26 from here to the contracted
position, the process is repeated. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 8,
in the depicted embodiment the barrel cam 28 has been rotated by an
additional about 90 degrees from the intermediate to the contracted
position. And when returning the barrel 26 from the intermediate to
the expanded position, the process is repeated except that the
adjustment ring is rotated in the opposite direction to unwrap the
barrel from the cam 28.
[0051] The barrel-adjustment assembly 20 and the barrel 26 can be
constructed to provide a plurality of preset barrel diameters that
are commonly used and seen in the market. For example, the
protrusions 23 and the recesses 25 can be positioned and spaced to
align and mate at positions of the adjustment ring 22 that produce
a minimum and maximum diameter of the barrel 26 of 0.75 and 1.75
inches, respectively, with 0.25 inch increments. In this example,
the curling iron 10 can be adjusted to five positions having barrel
diameters of 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, and 1.75 inches, thereby
enabling a single one of the curling irons 10 to do the job of five
conventional curling irons. In addition, the protrusions 23 and
recesses 22 of the anti-rotation assembly form detents, and their
circumferential spacings can be selected to define discrete
adjustment positions of the barrel 26. One skilled in the art will
recognize that a number of possible combinations and permutations
for the sizing and arrangement of the barrel 26 and the
barrel-adjustment assembly 20 can be provided to produce a number
of different barrel sizes and discrete adjustment positions.
[0052] With reference now to FIG. 11, an alternative
barrel-adjustment assembly 120 is shown that can be substituted
into the design of the curling iron 10. The barrel-adjustment
assembly 20 includes a fixed ring (not shown), a rotary adjustment
ring 122, an adjustment gear-set 135, a barrel cam 128, and a ball
detent assembly 131. The fixed ring, a rotary adjustment ring 122,
and the barrel cam 128 are similar to those described with respect
to the first example embodiment.
[0053] The adjustment gear-set 135 includes a cam gear 129 that
rotates the barrel cam 128, and a drive gear 127 that drives the
cam gear, similar to those described with respect to the first
example embodiment. In this embodiment, however, the adjustment
gear-set 135 includes a ring gear 154 and a ring-driven gear 152.
The ring gear 154 is mounted to the adjustment ring 122, for
example, with its teeth facing radially inward, and drives the
ring-driven gear 152. The ring-driven gear 152 is coupled to the
drive gear 127, for example by a connecting body 156, so that they
rotate together. In this way, as the adjustment ring 122 is
rotated, the ring gear 154 rotationally drives the ring-driven gear
152, which in turn rotates the drive gear 127, which in turn
rotationally drives the cam gear 129, which rotates the barrel cam
128, thereby adjusting the diameter of the barrel.
[0054] In addition, the ball detent assembly 131 can be provided by
a cylinder with an detent ball recessed therein and outwardly
spring-biased. The ball detent assembly 131 is positioned and
configured so that the detent ball engages with the teeth of the
ring gear 154. The ball detent assembly 131 thereby provides a
resistive force against the teeth of the ring gear 154 that
prevents the ring gear from accidently rotating. However, the
outward force of the ball detent assembly 131 can be overcome by
applying a strong enough rotational force to the adjustment ring
122, allowing the barrel 126 to still be adjusted by the user as
desired. Thus, the ball detent assembly 131 serves as an
anti-rotation assembly to prevent unintended rotating of the
adjustment ring 122 and mis-adjustment of the barrel 126. The ball
detent assembly 131 can be mounted to the fixed ring or another
stationary component of the curling iron.
[0055] As used herein, a ball detent assembly is any type of detent
mechanism with a spring-biased extension and retraction member (not
just a ball) that is biased into engagement with the ring gear
teeth to hold the adjustment ring from rotation unless a
sufficiently large rotary overcoming force is applied to the
adjustment ring.
[0056] With reference now to FIGS. 12-15, there is shown a
barrel-adjustment assembly 220 of an adjustable-barrel curling iron
according to a second example embodiment of the present invention.
The barrel-adjustment assembly 220 includes a guide plate 221, a
rotary adjustment ring 222, an adjustment ring gear 227, a
plurality of planet gears 229, a plurality of finger cam arms 228,
and a plurality of heated fingers 230. The guide plate 221 is
fixedly attached to the handle (not shown) or another stationary
component of the curling iron. The rotary adjustment ring 222
rotates relative to the guide plate 221, for example, it can be
rotationally coupled to the guide plate, the handle, or another
stationary component of the curling iron. The rotationally coupling
can be provided for example by a circumferential flange of the
guide plate 221 being received in a circumferential groove of the
adjustment ring 222, or vice versa. The ring gear 227 is positioned
within the rotary adjustment ring 222 with its gear teeth engaging
and driving the gear teeth of the planet gears 229. For example,
the gear teeth of the ring gear 227 can extend radially inward and
the gear teeth of the planet gears 229 can extend radially outward
into mating cooperative engagement, as depicted in FIG. 12. The
planet gears 229 are attached to and drive the finger cam arms 228
in a one-to-one relationship. For example, pivot shafts (not shown)
can extend through apertures 226 in the guide plate 221 to connect
the planet gears 229 to the finger cam arms 228. The heated fingers
230 extend distally from the finger cam arms 228 and are connected
to them at a location spaced apart from the connection location of
the pivot shafts, the finger cam arms thereby forming moment
arms.
[0057] In this way, when the rotary adjustment ring 222 is rotated,
the ring gear 227 attached to it rotationally drives the planet
gears 229. And the rotating planet gears 229 then rotationally
drive the finger cam arms 228, which causes the heated fingers 230
to swing between the expanded position of FIGS. 12-13 and the
contracted position of FIG. 14. In particular, when the
barrel-adjustment assembly 220 is in the expanded position of FIGS.
12-13 and the rotary adjustment ring 222 is rotated clockwise, the
finger cam arms 228 and the heated fingers 230 are rotated
clockwise about the pivot shafts to the contracted position of FIG.
14. And when the barrel-adjustment assembly 220 is in the
contracted position of FIG. 14 and the rotary adjustment ring 222
is rotated counter-clockwise, the finger cam arms 228 and the
heated fingers 230 are rotated counter-clockwise about the pivot
shafts back to the expanded position of FIG. 12-13.
[0058] In addition, the guide plate 221 can include a plurality of
curved cam-arm guide tracks 225 formed in it and the finger cam
arms 228 can include guide extensions (not shown) extending
proximally from them and riding along the cam-arm guide tracks. In
this way, the cam-arm guide tracks 225 and the cam-arm guide
extensions cooperatively provide additional guidance for a smooth
and easy radial-adjustment motion. In the depicted embodiment, the
am-arm guide tracks 225 are provided by curved slots extending
through the guide plate 221 and through which electrical wires can
be routed for powering the heated fingers 230.
[0059] FIG. 15 shows a radially expandable barrel 226 that fits
over the heated fingers 230 and expands and contracts with them
between the expanded position of FIGS. 12-13 and the contracted
position of FIG. 14. Thus, the barrel 226 stretches radially
outward to match the outer diameter defined by the heated fingers
230 in the expanded position and elastically contracts radially
inward to match the outer diameter defined by the heated fingers in
the contracted position. The barrel 226 can be provided by a
fabric-coated sleeve made for example from a stretchable nylon
material. The fingers 230 define a generally circular layout and
the barrel 226 can sheath the entire plurality of heated fingers
230 simultaneously while forming a cylindrical surface.
[0060] FIG. 16 shows an adjustable-barrel curling iron 310
according to a third example embodiment of the present invention.
The curling iron 310 comprises a handle 312, a primary
smaller-diameter barrel 326a, a secondary intermediate-diameter
barrel 326b, and a tertiary larger-diameter barrel 326c. The
barrels 326a-c are arranged in a generally telescopic arrangement,
with the primary barrel 326a slidingly received within the
secondary barrel 326b, which in turn is slidingly received within
the tertiary barrel 326c, which in turn is slidingly received
within the handle 312. The barrels 326a-c can be pulled out
individually or in combination to provide the desirable diameter
for curling hair (as shown by the three directional arrows). For
example, the primary barrel 326a can be extended for use with the
secondary and tertiary barrel 326b-c remaining nested within the
handle 312. Or the primary and secondary barrels 326a-b can be
extended together, with the primary barrel remaining nested within
the secondary barrel and with the tertiary barrel 326c remaining
nested within the handle 312, for use of the secondary barrel. The
barrels 326a-c can be held in place by releasable fasteners such as
detents, spring-biased pushpins, radially-tightening collars, or
the like, that releasably hold the barrels in user-selected
configurations.
[0061] FIGS. 17-19 show an adjustable-barrel curling iron 410
according to a fourth example embodiment of the present invention.
The curling iron 410 comprises a handle 412 and a barrel-adjustment
assembly 420. The barrel-adjustment assembly 420 comprises a
smaller-diameter primary barrel 426a and a larger-diameter
secondary barrel 426b that are attached to one another at their
ends. The barrels 426a and 426b have different fixed diameters and
are each individually received within an aperture in the handle
412. The aperture can have a deeper smaller-diameter section for
receiving the smaller primary barrel 426a with the larger secondary
barrel 426b exposed for use, and a shallower larger-diameter
section for receiving the larger secondary barrel with the smaller
primary barrel exposed for use. Thus, the smaller-diameter primary
barrel 426a can be longer than the larger secondary barrel 426b so
that it extends into the deeper smaller-diameter section, with the
same length of barrel exposed for use in either expanded
(larger-diameter) or contracted (smaller-diameter) position. In
this way, the barrels 426a and 426b to be swapped (by inverting the
barrel-adjustment assembly 420 as indicated by the directional
arrow in FIG. 18) from the contracted (smaller-diameter) position
of FIG. 17 to the expanded (larger-diameter) position of FIG. 18.
The barrels 426a and 426b can be made of a heat-conductive
material, such as a strip of metal, and heated for use.
[0062] FIGS. 20-21 show a barrel-adjustment assembly 520 according
to a fifth example embodiment of the present invention. The
assembly 520 comprises a barrel coil 526. The coil 526 can be made
of a flexible, heat-conductive material, such as a strip of metal,
that is coiled about itself along a central axis. The coil 526 is
fixed at one end and movable at the other end. The movable end can
be pulled or biased outward along the central axis away from the
fixed end in order to increase the diameter of the barrel from its
contracted position of FIG. 20 to its expanded position of FIG. 21.
Similarly, the movable end can be pushed or biased inward along the
central axis toward the fixed end in order to decrease the diameter
of the barrel from its expanded position of FIG. 21 to its
contracted position of FIG. 20.
[0063] FIGS. 22-23 show a barrel-adjustment assembly 620 according
to a sixth example embodiment of the present invention. The
assembly 620 comprises a barrel 626 in the form of a woven
cylinder, much similar to the weaving pattern of a Chinese finger
trap toy. When under a compressive force along its axis of
elongation, the barrel 626 compresses to form a larger diameter in
its expanded position of FIG. 22. When under a tensile force along
its axis of elongation, the barrel 626 elongates to form a smaller
diameter in its contracted position of FIG. 23.
[0064] While the invention has been shown and described in example
forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many
modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the following claims.
* * * * *