Hair Curler Heater

Abstract

A hair curler including a case with a lid in which a heater board is provided having a number of heater rods on which the curlers are placed. With the lid of the case closed, the rods and curlers thereon lie in a generally horizontal position. When the lid is open, the heater board is moved raising the heater rods and curlers to a generally vertical position for use. Opening of the lid also actuates a switching means to supply current to the heater board.

Description

This invention relates to a hair curler heater and particularly to a portable hair curler heater.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a hair curler heater of the construction in which, when the hair curler heater is in use, heating rods for heating hair curler bobbins are brought to upright positions and when not in use, are brought down to be received into a container, thereby to make the container substantially small in thickness so as to be convenient for carrying and easy handling. In order to achieve the objective, a heating board having heating rods attached thereto is pivotally mounted in the container. Means are provided to rotate the heating board in response to opening of the lid so as to raise the heating rods to a generally vertical position. Rotation of the heating board in response to closing of the lid moves the heating rods down to a generally horizontal position. This arrangement permits the container to be made relatively thin, somewhat greater than the diameter of a curler, and still be able to house a large number of curlers. The hair curler bobbins can be left attached to the heating rolls during the time the rods are stored in the container. The container is provided therein with a space to receive the heating board with curler bobbins when the heating board is rotated in such a state as to bring down the heating rods to the substantially horizontal position.

As should be apparent, the heater is simple to operate. The operation of opening the lid raises each heating rod with each hair curler bobbin kept attached thereto in a state ready for use. The operation of closing the lid moves the heating board and each heating rod down with each heating hair curler bobbin kept attached thereto to be received in the container. This arrangement makes the hair curler heater very easy to handle and eliminates possibility of mistaken handling since, when the curlers are in an upright position, the user knows that they will be heated.

In order to effect the operation described above, this invention is provided with a link mechanism for rotating the heating board upon opening and closing of the container lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by which to automatically open a switch means for the electric circuit of the heating element adapted to heat the heating board, when the lid of the container is closed, and the heating board together with the heating rods are brought down and received in the container, and by which to automatically close said switch means when the lid is opened to raise up the heating rods to place the hair curlers in a position for use. Provision of such a switch means makes it possible to do away with manual operation of a switch means and to eliminate the possibility of current flowing through the heating board when the hair curler heater is not in use.

According to the invention, the container also is provided therein with recesses in side-by-side relation to receive therein the heating rods with the hair curler bobbins being attached when the heating rods are brought down. These recesses are of the same general shape as the outer shapes of the hair curler bobbins. The container is further provided therein with suitably shaped recesses for reserve hair curler bobbins to receive the reserve hair curler bobbins in a generally horizontal position. A partition wall is provided between the recesses for receiving the reserve hair curler bobbins and the recesses for the hair curler bobbins left fitted over the heating rods. This structure precludes the possibility, when the container is closed, of the hair curler bobbins being removed or falling off from the heating rods even if the container falls down or is placed or carried in any position. It also makes it possible for the container to securely receive therein a large number of reserve hair curler bobbins.

A detailed description of the invention follows with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container with its lid open according to a preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the container with its lid half closed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly broken and in section, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly broken and in section, of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the container of FIG. 1 but showing the container with its lid closed; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view illustrative of a link mechanism for the heating board of the container shown in FIG. 1 and a depressing member adapted to operate said link mechanism.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a plastic container; 2 an outer frame of the plastic container 1 which is on top of the container bottom wall; 3 a lid of the plastic container 1; 3' a mirror attached to the inside of lid 3; and 4 designates a handle attached to the front of the outer frame 2. The upper lid 3, as will be presently described with reference to FIG. 6, is connected to the back side of outer frame 2 so as to be freely opened and closed. The numeral 5 designates a heating board, which, as will later be described, is pivotally supported by the outer frame 2 of the container and contains therein a heating element, such as for example electric resistance 6, which is insulated from the top of the board. The numeral 7 designates metal heating rods, a suitable number of which are mounted in spaced relationship on the heating board 5. The numeral 8 designates hair curler bobbins, which, as shown in FIG. 3, are each made up of an aluminum tube 9 and a resin layer 10 formed on the outer circumference of the tube 9, said resin layer 10 being formed on the outer surface with a plurality of projections 11. The aluminum tubes 9 are adapted to be detachably fitted over the heating rods 7, whereby the hair curler bobbins 8 can be easily attached to and pulled off of the heating rods 7. When the hair curler bobbins 8 are attached to the heating rods 7 and the heating element 6 is energized, heat generated by the element 6 is transmitted to the aluminum tubes 9 through the heating board 5 and heating rods 7, and stored in the resin layer 10.

On the bottom wall of the container 1 are formed recesses 12 of arcuate shape arranged in side-by-side relation transversely with respect to the length of the container. The recesses generally conform to the outer shapes of the hair curler bobbins 8 so as to receive the bobbins 8 therein, when the heating panel 5 is rotated by closing the lid 3, as will presently be described, and the heating rods 7 with the hair curler bobbins 8 left attached thereto are moved down. In the container 1 are further formed and arranged in side-by-side relation in front of said recesses 12 a plurality of recesses 14 which are adapted to receive therein a plurality of reserve curler bobbins 13 lying down. The recesses 14 also generally conform to the outer shapes of the respective hair curler bobbins 13. In the container 1 are further provided a receptacle 16 for receiving hair pins 15 and a receptacle 18 for receiving a power cord 17. Between the recesses 12 and the recesses 14 is interposed a partition wall 19. When the curler bobbins 8 are received into the recesses 12 with the bobbins 8 left on the heating rods 7, the hair bobbins cannot fall off heating rods 7 regardless of the position in which the container is placed or carried. There also is no possibility of the hair curlers received in the recesses 12 adjacent the receptacle 16 from falling off the heating rods 7 because of the side wall 16' of the receptacle 16. Thus, while not in use, not only the hair curler bobbins 8 are brought down together with the heating rods 7 with the bobbins 8 left attached thereto and are received into the container 1, but also the reserve curler bobbins 13 are received laid down in front of the curler bobbins 8, with the result that the container 1 can be reduced in thickness in a sufficient degree while receiving and securely holding therein a large number of curler bobbins.

FIGS. 3--6 show the manner in which the heating board 5 is rotated by opening and closing the lid 3, and accordingly how the heating rods 7 with the curler bobbins kept attached thereto are brought down or raised up. The lid 3 is hinged wit a pin 20 to the back wall of outer frame 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer frame 2 is provided on the rear side with s projections 21 and 21' spaced from each other, which include pin holes 22 and 22' respectively. The lid 3 also is provided on the rear side with spaced projections 23 and 23', which include pin holes 24 and 24' respectively. The respective outsides of the projections 23 and 23' are placed between the respective insides of the projections 22 and 22', and the pin 20 is inserted through the holes 22, 24, 24' and 22' and fixed with respect to the projections 21 and 21', whereby the lid 33 is hingedly connected to the outer frame 2 so as to be pivoted around the pin 20. The heating board 5 comprises a protective frame 25 of insulating material and a metal body 26. The heating element 6 is located within but electrically insulated from the body 26. The heating rods 7 are attached to the body 26 and extend through frame 25. On both sides of the body 26 are disposed pins 27 and 27' the positions of which are slightly to the right of the medial line of body 26 in FIG. 3. The protective frame 25 and the body 26 are connected by a base 28 to which an actuating rod 30 is pivotally connected by a pin 29. The actuating rod is pivoted at the other end to a connecting rod 31 by a pin 32. The position of the pin 29 is placed slightly to the left of the medial line of the body 26. The other end of the connecting rod 31 is pivoted on pin 20 between the projections 24 and 24' of the lid 3.

The link mechanism is constructed to rotate the heating board 5 through the actuating rod 30 and the connecting rod 31. The lid 3 is provided with a projecting actuating portion 33 above the hinge knuckles 23, 23' which is located above and to the right of hinge pin 20 when the lid is closed. The actuating portion 33 is adapted to engage the connecting rod 31 and causes it to rotate clockwise around the hinge pin 20 upon opening the lid 3. The lid is further provided with another projecting actuating portion 34 located to the left and below the hinge pin when the lid is closed. The actuating portion 34 is adapted to engage and cause the connecting rod 31 to rotate counter clockwise around the pin 20 upon closing the lid 3. This depressing portion 34, however, is not always necessary. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating board pins 27 and 27' are pivotally supported by the holes 45 of bearing plates 44 fitted by screw bolts 43 and 43' to both sides of the container 1. (The bearing plate on the right side is not shown). The numeral 37 in FIGS. 3--5 designates a space for receiving the heating board 5 in the container.

As shown in FIG. 3, opening of the lid 3 causes the actuating portion 33 to engage and rotate the connecting rod 31 clockwise around the pin 20. The connecting rod 31 moves the actuating rod 30 to the left rotating the heating board 5 around the pins 27 and 27' in a clockwise direction. This causes the board 5 to be raised up, namely to be brought into a horizontal position. Accordingly, the heating rods 7 are raised up to a generally vertical position. Closing of lid 3 causes the actuating portion 33 to be disengaged from the connecting rod 31 thereby to make the heating board 5 fall by its own weight, rotating counterclockwise around the pins 27 and 27' to bring the heating rods 7 down to a horizontal position. Provision of the actuating portion 34 makes possible the closing of the lid 3 by the actuating portion 34 engaging rod 31 to provide counterclockwise rotation around the pin 20, thereby to assist the heating board 5 in counterclockwise rotation to positively bring the heating rods 7 down to the horizontal position.

The operation described above is carried out with the curler bobbins 8 left attached to the heating rods 7, and when the heating rods are raised up, the curler bobbins 8 can freely be drawn off of or fitted over the heating rods 7, as apparent from FIG. 3. When the heating rods are brought down, each of the curler bobbins 8 is securely received in its corresponding recess 12. Thus, the container 1 can be greatly reduced in thickness when the lid 3 is closed.

In FIGS. 3 through 5, the numeral 35 designates a movable switch contact 36, a fixed switch contact which opens and closes the electric circuit (not shown) of the heating element 6 within the heating board 5. The movable contact 35 is maintained spaced from the contact 36 by the action of a spring (not shown) when the lid 3 is kept closed. By opening the lid 3 the heating board 5 is turned clockwise and raised up, and the board 5 presses down on contact 35, as shown in FIG. 3, to bring it into contact with the contact 36. Accordingly, when the lid 3 is opened, the electric circuit for the heating element 6 is automatically closed. When, as shown in FIG. 4, the heating board 5 starts rotating counterclockwise around the pins 27 and 27' by closing the lid 3, depression of the movable contact member 35 by the heating board 5 is released to disconnect it from the contact 36 to thereby open the circuit of the heating element 6. The contact 35 is separated from the contact 36 when the lid 3 has been closed. Thus, the circuit for the heating element 6 needs no manual closing and opening of a separate switch, but when it is desired to use the hair curlers, namely the lid 3 is opened, the electric circuit of the heating element 6 is automatically closed and connection of the power cord 7 to a suitable power source supplies the heating element 6 with a current. The heat generated by the heating element owing to the current thus supplied is transmitted to the hair curler bobbins through the heating board 5 and heating rods 7, making it possible for the curler bobbins thus heated to be drawn out of the heating rods to be ready for use in setting the hair. Furthermore, according to this hair curler, the circuit for the heating element 6 can automatically be opened by closing the lid 3 when the curler is not in use, and consequently there is no possibility of a current flowing through the heating element 6 while the curler is not used, and hence no loss of current nor danger of overheating. In this manner, this hair curler heater is very easy of handling with no possibility of mistaken handling.

In the embodiment described, it has been illustrated that the lid 3 is connected to the outer frame 2 at one point alone, but it is to be understood that such connection is possible at two points and that accordingly provision of the link mechanism including the actuating rod 30 and the connecting rod 31 also would be made at two points. Furthermore, the container 1 and the outer frame 2 may be formed as one integral body and the lid 3 may be connected to the container 1.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A hair curler bobbin heater comprising a container having a bottom section including a bottom wall and a lid section, means for hingedly mounting said lid section to said bottom section, a heating board having an electric heating element and a number of elongated heating members for holding hair curler bobbins thereon mounted on said board, means for pivotally mounting said heating board within said container and moving means actuated by the movement of said lid to move said heating board from a first inoperative position with the heating members being disposed within said container in a position substantially parallel to the container bottom wall when said lid is closed to a second operative position wherein said heater members extend out of said container into a substantially vertical position wherein bobbins may be placed on or removed from the members when said lid is opened.

2. A curler bobbin heater as in claim 1 further comprising switch means connected to said heating element, means for automatically opening said switch means as the lid is closed and automatically closing said switch means as the lid is opened.

3. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 1 wherein when said heating board is in said first position the heating board and any curlers thereon are stored in an inoperative position within said container bottom section wherein the curlers cannot be removed from the heating members.

4. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 1 wherein the thickness of said container is less than the height of a heating member.

5. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes a linkage between said lid and said heating board, said linkage being connected to said heating board and being moved upon opening and closing of the lid.

6. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 5 further comprising first actuating means on said lid to engage and moved said linkage in a first direction when said lid is closed, and second actuating means on said lid to engage and move said linkage in a second direction when said lid is opened.

7. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 1 wherein said bottom section of said container is formed with a first plurality of recesses each of which is shaped and located to accept a corresponding hair curler bobbin on a heating member as the heating board is disposed in said first position.

8. A hair curler bobbin heater as in claim 7 wherein said bottom section is also formed with a second plurality of recesses adjacent said first plurality of recesses to hold extra hair curler bobbins, and a partition wall between the portions of said bottom section defining said first and second plurality of recesses.