U.S. patent application number 13/045958 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-07 for hair styling device.
Invention is credited to Friedrich Henninger, Dieter Liebenthal, Jurgen Seng.
Application Number | 20110162672 13/045958 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42422062 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110162672 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liebenthal; Dieter ; et
al. |
July 7, 2011 |
Hair Styling Device
Abstract
The present invention relates to a hair styling device, for
example one that can be used for curling and straightening hair.
Particularly, the invention relates to a hair styling device having
a first styling part and a second styling part. such that the two
styling parts are movable in relation to one another and hair can
be placed between the two styling parts. at least one styling part
having a hair guidance part and also having a grip part that is
structurally different from the hair guidance part, wherein the
hair guidance part has a row of convexities and concavities and the
grip part has a row of convexities and concavities. and the hair
guidance part and the grip part have a shared base area.
Inventors: |
Liebenthal; Dieter;
(Maintal, DE) ; Henninger; Friedrich; (Kelkheim,
DE) ; Seng; Jurgen; (Kelkheim, DE) |
Family ID: |
42422062 |
Appl. No.: |
13/045958 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/230 ;
132/245 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20130101; A45D
2/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/230 ;
132/245 |
International
Class: |
A45D 1/04 20060101
A45D001/04; A45D 1/14 20060101 A45D001/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 12, 2009 |
EP |
10 002 612.9 |
Claims
1. A hair styling device having a first styling part and a second
styling part. such that the two styling parts are movable in
relation to one another and hair can be placed between the two
styling parts, at least one styling part having a hair guidance
part and also having a grip part that is structurally different
from the hair guidance part, wherein the hair guidance part has a
now of convexities and concavities and the grip part has a row of
convexities and concavities, and the hair guidance part and the
grip part have a shared base area.
2. The hair styling device according to claim 1, in which the hair
guidance part and the grip part are arranged so they can develop
one into the other.
3. The hair styling device according to claim 1, in which the hair
guidance part and the grip part are designed in one piece.
4. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the
convexities are arranged more densely in the grip part than in the
hair guidance zone.
5. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the
convexities in the hair guidance zone are higher than those in the
grip part.
6. The hair styling device according to claim 1. wherein the grip
part is attached to the outer end of the styling part.
7. The hair styling device according to claim 1. wherein the grip
part has a curved base area.
8. The hair styling device according to claim 1, having a first
styling part with a first hair guidance zone and a first grip part
as well as having a second styling part with a second hair guidance
zone and a second grip part.
9. The hair styling device according to claim I, wherein the hair
guidance zone and the grip part are arranged on the rear end of the
styling part.
10. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein at least
one of the styling parts has a styling edge.
11. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein only one
styling part is heated.
12. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the first
sty in part and the second styling part are heated.
13. The hair styling device according to claim 1, in the form of a
hair straightening having essentially symmetrical styling
parts.
14. The hair styling device according to claim 1, wherein the first
hair guidance part. the second hair guidance part, the first grip
part and the second grip part are made of plastic.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a hair styling device such
as one that can be used for curling and straightening hair, for
example. The device may also he designed so that it serves
preferably one of these two purposes and then is sold either as a
straightening rod or as a straightening iron. The present invention
is suitable for use in the private sector and also for use in the
professional area, for example, in a hair styling salon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] British Patent GB 1,519,930 (filed May 27, 1977) discloses a
hair styling device having two arms, each having heating elements.
The arms may he moved toward one another by a lever mechanism with
the help of a grip lever. This movement can be made in a reliable
and controlled manner, in particular avoiding contact of one's
fingers with the heating elements, but the design appears to be
complex.
[0003] Unexamined German Patent DE 102 39 713 A1 (filed Aug. 29,
2002) discloses a hair styling device with which steam can also be
applied to hair. This device is optimized for one-handed operation.
There is a clamping element against a heated styling rod. This
clamping element may be swiveled out of the way by means of a push
button or lever.
[0004] This device also has a vaporizer, which is supplied with
water from a tank. This tank is situated at the tip of the styling
rod. Water for vaporizing may he supplied by means of operating
button.
[0005] This operating button is situated approximately at the level
of the push button, allowing convenient one-handed operation.
[0006] Due to the tank being arranged at the tip of the heated
styling rod, there is also no risk of getting burned at this end of
the device, However, this design is somewhat complex on the whole
and is optimized specifically for a device using a vaporizer. The
clamping forces with which hair is pressed against the styling rod
by the clamping element depend to a significant extent on the
design of the device, i.e. essentially on the available spring
force in the embodiment shown here, and cannot be increased beyond
this spring force.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,677 (filed Mar. 31, 1998) also discloses
a hair styling device with a vaporization unit. The hair styling
device has a heatable, essentially cylindrical styling rod and a
clamping device. which comes in con act with it under spring
tension. The heatable styling part is equipped with a heat guard
element, which may be made of plastic and has a row of longitudinal
ribs and ring-shaped transverse ribs. Furthermore. grip concavities
are provided on the end of the styling rod and also on the end of
the clamping part. These grip concavities should serve to press the
clamping part against the heated styling part. The corresponding
grip concavities are seemingly created in one piece on the clamping
part and/or on the sty ling part. At any rate, the grip concavity
for the styling part is also embodied as elements that are
independent of the heat guard. This in turn seems to result in a
certain manufacturing complexity . Furthermore, the exterior of the
device also has many, details which interfere with a uniform
aesthetic shape.
[0008] An improved hair styling device is to be made available with
the present invention. In particular, an esthetically attractive
but at the same time inexpensive heat guard is to be offered. This
heat guard should allow the guidance of heated parts, at least the
styling part, without any risk of burns.
[0009] This object is achieved by a hair styling device according
to the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] According to the present invention, a hair styling device
having a first styling part and a second styling part is thus made
available. The two styling parts should be movable relative to one
another, so that hair can be placed between the two styling parts.
A styling part is understood to be a part of the device. which is
suitable for coming in contact with the hair. The styling part may
be either heated or unheated. In the case of a hair straightener,
for example, two heated styling parts of essentially the same shape
are often used. In the case of a curling rod, however, there will
typically be a first styling part in the form of a heated
cylindrical body and a clamping device, which may be understood in
this context as being a second styling part. This second styling
part in the form of the clamping device is then typically unheated.
The mobility of the styling parts relative to one another may he
accomplished, for example, by the possibility of a pivoting motion
about a shared axis, but also he achieved in a variety of other
forms.
[0011] At least one of the styling parts should have a hair
guidance part and also a grip part differentiable from the former.
A hair guidance part may be understood to he any part, which
imparts a preferential direction to hair being guided along the
hair guidance part and/or div ides the hair into multiple strands
of hair. Preferably, however, exclusively plastic parts are not
used here. The grip part in particular may he tailored to the
anatomy of the hand or the fingers, but this need not be the case.
At any rate, it is structurally different from the hair guidance
part.
[0012] According to the invention, the hair guidance part should
have a row of convexities and concavities. Such convexities and
concavities may have multiple different shapes; for example, nubs
may be considered as convexities and troughs or similar recesses
may be considered as the concavities. Likewise, fins or webs with
recessed grooves in between may also be considered. Hence, the term
convexity can herein also be replaced by the term nub, fin, or web.
Hence, the term concavity can herein also be replaced by the term
trough or recess. A row of convexities and concavities is
understood to be at least two convexities with a concavity in
between. As a rule, the number of convexities and accordingly also
the number of concavities will also be much higher. A concavity is
to be seen in relation to a convexity.
[0013] A hair guidance part influences the course of the hair as it
is supplied to the device or guidance of the hair away from the
styling part. For example, such a hair guidance part may be mounted
on the rear end of the styling part. Then the hair is guided in
strands through the hair guidance part and is oriented in a certain
direction. Usually the hair is supplied at a right angle to the
edge of the styling parts. For hair guidance. such convexities and
concavities are especially expedient, but they also have an
additional benefit for the hair guidance part because a human
finger does not rest on the complete area of the part, which is
usually at least warm, but it touches only the convexities.
[0014] According to the present invention, the hair guidance part
and the grip part have a common base area which may be designed in
one piece or may consist of multiple parts joined together. The
latter variant in particular allows a reduction in the number of
components for the hair styling device and thus ensures a cost
advantage.
[0015] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the hair guidance part
and the grip part (either one or both) are arranged so that one
develops into the other. In other words, there should not be any
distance between the hair guidance part and the grip part beyond
the single width or two times the width of the neighboring
concavities.
[0016] It has thus proven to be advantageous if the convexities are
arranged closer together in the grip part The distance between two
convexities in the grip part should be smaller than the distance
between two convexities in the hair guidance part In the case of
grooves extending in a first direction, the corresponding distance
of the grooves would then be measured at aright angle to this first
direction.
[0017] It has also proven to be advantageous if the convexities in
the hair guidance part are higher than the convexities in the grip
part. This achieves especially reliable hair guidance, whereas
convexities of a lower height in the grip part may be quite
adequate as an efficient heat guard and also for a secure grip.
[0018] It is also especially beneficial if the grip part is
arranged in the end area of the styling part. The outer end area of
the styling part is understood to be the area in which the styling
part is openly accessible and which is thus usually opposite the
hinge (or a similar connection) by means of which the styling part
is movably connected to the other styling part. Furthermore, it is
expedient if the grip part is curved. The curvature may
approximately simulate a taper of the styling part on its outer
end. Furthermore, an anatomically favorable finger rest can be
achieved in this way.
[0019] The hair styling device is preferably designed an that each
of the two styling parts has one grip part and one hair guidance
part. Both the grip zone and the hair guidance are advantageously
each mounted on the rear end of the styling part. The rear end is
understood to be the end opposite the hair treatment end. In an
especially preferred embodiment, the hair styling device has two
symmetrical styling parts, with two grip parts and two hair
guidance parts situated opposite one another in a symmetrical
arrangement.
[0020] For efficient treatment of hair, it is especially
advantageous if the hair is guided by the hair treatment area first
to a styling edge and then away from the styling edge to the hair
guidance part. This styling edge may result in more efficient
curling of the hair, for example. If no styling edge is provided on
the hair styling device, hair may be guided along an edge area of
the hair treatment area accordingly.
[0021] In one embodiment, one styling part on an inventive hair
treatment device may be heated while the other remains unheated.
This embodiment is very useful for a curling rod. Alternatively,
however, both styling parts may be heated in an inventive hair
styling device. A hair straightener having two symmetrical styling
parts. both of which are heated. is especially preferred.
[0022] It is especially inexpensive and expedient if the hair
guidance part and the grip part are both made of plastic,
advantageously using the same plastic. Plastic can be processed
well and is also a good heat guard material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will now be explained in greater detail on the
basis of one exemplary embodiment, which relates to a hair
straightener. Other embodiments may of course also he considered,
so the features of this hair straightener, which are presented
together here, may also appear in other inventive hair styling
devices hut need not appear in a similar combination.
[0024] In the figures:
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a hair straightener.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a view of the hair straightener from above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a hair straightener having a first styling part
12 at the top and a second styling part 14 at the bottom. The two
styling parts are joined by the connecting hinge 16. A first
heating element 18 is provided on the first styling part 12.
Symmetrically with that, a second heating element 20 is provided on
the second styling part 14. Hair can be inserted between these two
styling parts. Hair guidance parts. namely a first hair guidance
part 22 on the first styling 12 and a second hair guidance 24 on
the second styling part 14, are both opposite the heating
elements.
[0028] As a rule, hair is not guided along the two styling parts in
the same way. Instead, due to the largely symmetrical design of
this device, it is possible to either guide the hair around the
first styling arm 12, so that it is guided in the first hair
guidance part 12, or alternatively to guide the hair around the
second styling part 14, so that it is guided in the second hair
guidance part 24.
[0029] Each of the hair guidance parts has a row of convexities and
concavities. For simplicity, only one convexity is labeled with
reference numeral 26 here and one neighboring concavity is labeled
with reference numeral 28. In the embodiment shown here. the hair
guidance part 22 has a base area 30. The convexities 26 protrude
above this base area. Sections of the base area between the two
convexities form the concavities. The hair guidance parts are
attached to grip parts. namely a first grip part 32 on the outer
end of the first styling part 12 and a second grip part 34 on the
outer end of the second styling part 14, These grip parts in turn
have a row of convexities (not identified further), which are
elevated above the same base area 30. The first hair guidance part
22 is thus embodied in one piece with the first grip part 32
because both the grip part and the hair guidance part have the same
base area 30. Accordingly, the second hair guidance part 24 and the
second grip part 34 also share a base area, so that a one-piece
design is again achieved. This side view also shows readily that
the convexities in the area of the grip parts 32 and 34 do not
protrude as far above the base area 30 as they do in the area of
the hair guidance parts 22 and 24.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a view of the hair straightener from above, In
this view, it can he seen that the first styling part 12 also
carries the electric connecting cable 36, The device is thus
operated electrically as a whole. It may he turned on by the switch
38, where its temperature can also be preselected. The ON-position
is indicated by the display 40. In this view, it can he seen that
convexities 26 are arranged on the base area 30 so they are
equidistant in the area of the first hair guidance part 22.
Accordingly, there are also concavities of the same width between
the convexities 26. The base area also develops into the first grip
part 32, but the latter is curved here. Accordingly, the
convexities there have a different orientation. As shown clearly
here. they are also definitely more densely arranged in the area of
the grip part 32 than in the area of the hair guidance zone 22.
Furthermore, a styling edge 42 is discernible in this view. Flair
could be supplied to the hair treatment zone via the Out hair
guidance part i.e., guided along heating elements and around the
styling edge 42, having been supplied from above. based on this
view.
[0031] A very efficient hair styling device that can be handled
safely can be manufactured in this way.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0032] 10 hair styling device
[0033] 12 first styling part
[0034] 14 second sty ling part
[0035] 16 styling part connecting hinge
[0036] 18 first heating element
[0037] 20 second heating element
[0038] 22 first hair guidance part
[0039] 24 second hair guidance part
[0040] 26 convexity
[0041] 28 concavity
[0042] 30 base area
[0043] 32 first grip part
[0044] 34 second grip part
[0045] 36 cable
[0046] 38 switch
[0047] 40 display
[0048] 42 styling edge
[0049] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be
understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values
recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension
is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally
equivalent range surrounding that value. For example. a dimension
disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."
* * * * *