U.S. patent application number 13/508231 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-01 for hair styling apparatus.
Invention is credited to Ross Jones, Stephen Anthony Sayers.
Application Number | 20120272994 13/508231 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41502007 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120272994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sayers; Stephen Anthony ; et
al. |
November 1, 2012 |
HAIR STYLING APPARATUS
Abstract
A hair styling appliance (20) comprising a pair of clamping
members (24) for clamping hair to be styled, wherein at least one
of said clamping members comprises: a hair heating plate (26); and
means (22) for manipulating a user's roots spaced apart from the
hair heating plate whereby, in use, the means for manipulating a
user's root is brought into contact a user's roots and the hair
heating plate is spaced apart from a user's head.
Inventors: |
Sayers; Stephen Anthony;
(Cambridge, GB) ; Jones; Ross; (Cambridge,
GB) |
Family ID: |
41502007 |
Appl. No.: |
13/508231 |
Filed: |
November 4, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
November 4, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2010/002034 |
371 Date: |
July 20, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
132/223 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 1/02 20130101; A45D
2001/002 20130101; A45D 1/18 20130101; A45D 2/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
132/223 |
International
Class: |
A45D 2/42 20060101
A45D002/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 6, 2009 |
GB |
0919481.2 |
Claims
1. A hair styling appliance comprising a pair of clamping members
for clamping hair to be styled, wherein at least one of said
clamping members comprises: a hair heating plate; and means for
manipulating a user's roots spaced apart from the hair heating
plate whereby, in use, the means for manipulating a user's root is
brought into contact with a user's roots and the hair heating plate
is spaced apart from a user's head.
2. A hair styling appliance according to claim 1, wherein the means
for manipulating a user's roots is in the form of a comb with a
plurality of teeth.
3. A hair styling appliance comprising a pair of clamping members
for clamping hair to be styled, wherein at least one of said
clamping members comprises: a hair heating plate; and a comb with a
plurality of teeth for manipulating a user's roots spaced apart
from the hair heating plate.
4. A hair styling appliance according to claim 3, wherein the comb
is slidably mounted to the at least one clamping member.
5. A hair styling appliance according to claim 3, wherein the teeth
for manipulating a user's roots project generally perpendicular to
the plane of the heating plate and are laterally spaced from the
heating plate.
6. A hair styling appliance according to claim 3, further
comprising a gas supply connected to the at least one clamping
member to generate a gas flow over the clamping member and wherein
the means for manipulating a user's roots comprises a baffle for
controlling the gas flow such that the gas flow manipulates a
user's roots.
7. A hair styling appliance comprising: a pair of clamping members
for clamping hair to be styled, and a gas supply connected to the
at least one clamping member to generate a gas flow over the
clamping member, wherein at least one of said clamping members
comprises: a hair heating plate; and a baffle for controlling the
gas flow over the clamping member such that the gas flow
manipulates a user's roots.
8. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, further
comprising a comb with a plurality of teeth for manipulating a
user's roots spaced apart from the hair heating plate wherein the
comb forms the baffle.
9. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the
baffle is slidably mounted to the at least one clamping member
whereby the direction of the gas flow is controllable.
10. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the gas
flow is controlled by a user-activated button.
11. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, comprising an
automatic activation mechanism, whereby the gas flow is generated
when the baffle presses against a user's head.
12. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the gas
supply is in the form of an electric fan housed within the
appliance.
13. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the gas
supply is in the form of a container of compressed air housed
within the appliance.
14. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the gas
flow passes over the heating plate whereby the gas is heated.
15. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, comprising a
heating element located in the gas flow for heating the gas.
16. A hair styling appliance according to claim 7, wherein the
inner surface of the baffle is shaped to generally match the outer
surface of the clamping member.
17. A hair styling appliance according to claim 2, wherein the comb
is slidably mounted to the at least one clamping member.
18. A hair styling appliance according to claim 2, wherein the
teeth for manipulating a user's roots project generally
perpendicular to the plane of the heating plate and are laterally
spaced from the heating plate.
19. A hair styling appliance according to claim 2, further
comprising a gas supply connected to the at least one clamping
member to generate a gas flow over the clamping member and wherein
the means for manipulating a user's roots comprises a baffle for
controlling the gas flow such that the gas flow manipulates a
user's roots.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to hair styling appliances, in
particular hair straighteners (hair straightening irons) and/or
heated hair curling irons.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a typical domestic hair styling
appliance 10 which has a pair of plates 12,14 held between a set of
tongs 16. One or both of the plates is heated. A user pulls their
hair between the plates to either straighten their hair as
illustrated in FIG. 1a or curl their hair as illustrated in FIG.
1b.
[0003] With these appliances it is difficult to achieve "body". In
other words, the straightened hair sits flat against the user's
head rather than standing out from their head. Achieving body
requires manipulating the hair at its roots; bending the hair so
that it leaves the head at an angle close to 90.degree.. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, with the known devices of FIGS. 1a and 1b,
bringing the plates close to the roots can result in the user
burning their scalp. Even if burning is avoided, it is difficult to
orient the tongs to bring the plates close to the scalp,
particularly when working with hair at the back of the head.
[0004] Background prior art can be found for example in:
WO2007/030994, WO2007/000700, GB2421906A, CA1145805, and
CN201048665.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided
a hair styling appliance, the appliance comprising a pair of
clamping members for clamping hair to be styled, wherein at least
one of said clamping members comprises: [0006] a hair heating
plate; and [0007] means for manipulating a user's roots spaced
apart from the hair heating plate whereby, in use, the means for
manipulating a user's root is brought into contact with a user's
roots and the hair heating plate is spaced apart from a user's
head.
[0008] Thus, in contrast to existing styling appliances which have
only the plates manipulating the hair, the present invention has an
additional component to make it easier to access and to manipulate
the roots of a user's hair to give body to the hair, without the
risk of burning.
[0009] The means for manipulating a user's roots (i.e. the roots of
a user's hair) may be in the form of a comb with a plurality of
teeth. The teeth may project generally perpendicular to the plane
of the heating plate and may be laterally spaced from the heating
space.
[0010] Thus according to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a hair styling appliance, the appliance comprising a pair
of clamping members for clamping hair to be styled, wherein at
least one of said clamping members comprises: [0011] a hair heating
plate; and [0012] a comb with a plurality of teeth for manipulating
a user's roots spaced apart from the hair heating plate.
[0013] The teeth may project generally perpendicular to the plane
of the heating plate and may be laterally spaced from the heating
space. The comb may be slidably mounted on the at least one
clamping member. In this way, the position of the comb relative to
the heating plate may be adjusted according to which side of the
head is being styled or according to the hand in which the user
holds the appliance.
[0014] Alternatively or additionally the appliance may comprise a
gas supply connected to the at least one clamping member to
generate a gas flow over the clamping member and the means for
manipulating a user's roots may comprise a baffle for controlling
the gas such that the gas flow manipulates a user's roots.
[0015] Thus according to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a hair styling appliance, the appliance comprising: [0016]
a pair of clamping members for clamping hair to be styled, and
[0017] a gas supply connected to the at least one clamping member
to generate a gas flow over the clamping member, [0018] wherein at
least one of said clamping members comprises: [0019] a hair heating
plate; and [0020] a baffle for controlling the gas flow over the
clamping member such that the gas flow manipulates a user's
roots.
[0021] The comb may act as the baffle so that the comb may be
combined with the gas flow to make it easier to access a user's
roots. The baffle may be slidably mounted on the at least one
clamping member whereby the direction of the gas flow is
controllable. In this way, the position of the baffle relative to
the heating plate may be adjusted according to which side of the
head is being styled or according to the hand in which the user
holds the appliance.
[0022] The gas flow may be controlled by a user-activated button or
similar mechanism. Thus, when the user presses down on the button,
bursts of flow may be generated when required. Alternatively, the
appliance may comprise an automatic activation mechanism, whereby
the gas flow is generated when the comb or baffle presses against
the scalp, e.g. using a mechanical switch on an outer surface of
the comb or baffle. The baffle may be slidable relative to the
clamping member to stop the gas flow.
[0023] The gas flow may be generated by an electric fan within the
body of the tongs. Alternatively, it may be generated by opening a
valve on a container of compressed air. The gas may be air or
another gas, e.g. the propellants commonly used in spray cans. Hair
treatment formulation may also be incorporated in the gas flow.
[0024] The gas flow may be heated, either by passing the flow over
the plate(s) or by using a separate heating element. Whereas the
plate(s) typically operate at a high temperature, the temperature
of the gas flow could be controlled for the user's comfort. Methods
for temperature control of gas flow are well known in the art, e.g.
for hair dryers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] These and other aspects of the invention will now be further
described, by way of example only, with reference to the
accompanying figures in which:
[0026] FIG. 1a shows a prior art hair straightening iron;
[0027] FIG. 1b shows a prior art hair curling iron;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows the appliance of FIG. 1a or 1b being used to
manipulate hair close to a user's scalp;
[0029] FIG. 3a is a perspective view of a hair styler with a
moveable comb;
[0030] FIG. 3b is a sketch showing the styler of FIG. 3a in use,
with only one half of the appliance shown for clarity;
[0031] FIG. 3c is a plan view showing how the moveable comb moves;
and
[0032] FIG. 4 is a sketch showing how the moveable comb of FIG. 3b
is combined with an air flow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] FIG. 3a shows a hair styler 20 with a comb implement 22
having a plurality of teeth 30. As with conventional hair stylers,
the hair styler of FIG. 3a comprises a pair of clamping members 24
joined at one end by a hinge member 28 to form tongs. Both clamping
members have a hair heating plate 26 on an inner face at the
opposed end to the hinge whereby the hair heating plates 26 are
brought into contact with each other during styling. It will be
appreciated that the hair styler may have only one heating
plate.
[0034] The comb 22 is mounted to the outer face of one of the
clamping members and the comb 22 extends outwards from at least one
side of the tongs. The comb is shaped so as to define a gap between
the comb and the outer surface of the clamping member so that the
comb is spaced therefrom. Thus, the profile of the inner surface of
the comb generally matches the profile of the outer surface of the
clamping member. The comb is approximately the same length as the
heating plate and has a plurality of teeth on both long sides of
the comb. The width of the comb is such that in use, only one set
of the teeth 30 project above the plane of the heating plate and
extend generally perpendicular to the plane of the heating plate.
The other set of teeth 30 being concealed underneath the clamping
member
[0035] As shown in FIG. 3b, the teeth 30 of the comb projecting
above the plane of the heating plate can be easily brought close to
a user's hair roots without bringing the heating plate(s) close to
the roots. With a familiar combing action, the roots of the hair
can be lifted to give the hair body as shown in the side of the
head indicated with a tick.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 3c, the position of the comb is adjustable
as illustrated by the arrow A, e.g. according to which side of the
head is being styled or according to which hand the user holds the
tongs with. Thus, the comb may be moved between a first position in
which a first set of teeth extend generally perpendicular to the
plane of the heating plate and are spaced laterally to one side of
the heating plate and a second position in which a second set of
teeth extend generally perpendicular to the plane of the heating
plate and are spaced laterally to the other side of the heating
plate. The first and second sets of teeth are on opposed sides of
the comb. The comb may also be moved to a third position (or
storage position) in which neither set of teeth extends outwards
from the side of the clamping member.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows how the hair styler of FIGS. 3a to 3c is
adapted to include a flow of air shown by arrow B. For clarity,
FIG. 4 only shows one half of the tongs and one plate. The air
applies a force to the hair at its roots, helping to give it body.
The direction of the air flow can be adjusted by mechanically
shifting the comb to give flow out of either side of the tongs. The
air flow can also be turned off completely as shown in the central
drawing of FIG. 4 in which the comb is centrally mounted on the
clamping member and there is no air flow. By shifting the comb left
relative to the clamping member, an air flow is generated to the
left side of the heating plate on the clamping member as shown in
the upper drawing of FIG. 4. Similarly, by shifting the comb right
relative to the clamping member, an air flow is generated to the
right side as shown in the lower drawing of FIG. 4.
[0038] It will be appreciated that the comb may be replaced by a
baffle or similar device which controls and guides the air flow but
does not have teeth like the comb. In other words, the hair styler
could provide an air flow without a comb implement. Such a baffle
may have a similar shape to the depicted comb and thus may be
shaped so as to define a gap between the baffle and the outer
surface of the clamping member through which the gas flows. The
profile of the inner surface of the baffle may thus generally match
the profile of the outer surface of the clamping member. A baffle
or other mechanical spacer could still be used to prevent the user
from bringing the heated plate(s) close to their scalp.
[0039] No doubt many other effective alternatives will occur to the
skilled person. It will be understood that the invention is not
limited to the described embodiments and encompasses modifications
apparent to those skilled in the art lying within the spirit and
scope of the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *