WO1995012996A1

WO1995012996A1 - Hair curling iron with hair roller guide

Info

Publication number: WO1995012996A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/010830
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ajit Khubani
Original assignee: Ajit Khubani
Priority date: 1993-11-12
Filing date: 1993-11-12
Publication date: 1995-05-18

Abstract

A hair curling iron (10) for use both with and without removable hair rollers (30) providing a hair roller guide (38, 38a, 39) for preventing axial rotation of the removable hair roller (30). The curling iron (10) includes a handle (12), barrel (14), hair retaining finger (18) in addition to the at least one removable hair roller (30). The hair roller (30) has a guide path (38, 38a, 39), and the retaining finger (18) has a cooperating guide (26) to secure the roller (30).

Description

HAIR CURLING IRON WITH HAIR ROLLER GUIDE

Field of Invention

This in" tion relates to hair curling irons having removable ha. rollers and capable of use either with or without the hair rollers.

Background of the Invention

Previous hair curling irons have been designed for use with removable hair rollers and for use without removable hair rollers.

Hair curling irons which employ removable hair rollers genera ly employ a cylindrical barrel or core over which hair rollers can be slid for heating, see for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,267,851 and U.S. Patent No. 4,260,871. In using such a hair curling iron, the hair is wrapped around the hair roller while the hair roller is attached to the hair curling iron. The hair roller can be pre-heated by the barrel and/or can be heated by the barrel while the hair is wrapped the hair roller. In etcher case, the heat retained by the hair roller continues to curl the hair after the barrel is withdrawn.

Hair curling irons which do not employ removable hair rollers generally are provided with a hair retaining finger which is operated by a spring biased lever, see U.S. Patent 3,135,269. In such a device the user presses the lever causing one end of the hair retaining finger to lift away from the barrel. The hair is wrapped around the barrel so that when the lever is released a portion of the hair is held against the barrel by the hair retaining finger. In this way the hair can be heated by the barrel to form a curl.

One type of device heretofore known allows for either a removable hair roller or a removable hair retaining finger to be attached to one end of a special clip which is attached to the hair curling iron.

However, as a user creates hair styles, some parts of the hair reguire the styling provided by removable hair rollers while other parts of the hair need the capabilities which a hair retaining finger provides. In the previous hair styling systems discussed above, either two separate hair curling irons must be used or the user has to repeatedly attach and remove the removable hair retaining finger each time the hair retaining finger capabilities are desired.

Summary of the Invention

The subject invention overcomes the deficiencies of previous hair curling irons by providing a guide on the hair retaining finger which permits the user to place a removable hair roller over the hair retaining finger both to heat the hair roller and to apply the hair roller to a user's hair without allowing the hair roller to rotate axially. If no hair roller is placed over the hair retaining finger, the hair retaining finger can be used in the traditional manner.

One embodiment of the subject invention provides a hair curling iron for curling hair having: a handle for holding the hair curling iron; a barrel attached to the handle for providing heat to the barrel; a hair retaining finger permanently mounted to the hair curling iron for retaining hair between the barrel and the hair retaining finger; and at least one removable hair roller for placement over the hair retaining finger and around the barrel; the removable hair roller having guidepath means formed along an interior surface of the hair roller and the hair retaining finger having guide means formed along an outer surface of the hair retaining finger for preventing axial rotation of the hair roller.

Furthermore, one variation of an embodiment of the subject invention provide a guide means which is a ridge and a guidepath means which is a complementary groove; or a guide means which is a groove and a guidepath means which is a complementary ridge.

Also, provided by a variation of an embodiment of the subject invention is a guidepath means having a plurality of non-contiguous sections which can be a plurality of non¬ contiguous sections formed at each end of the hair roller. Another variation of an embodiment of the subject invention provides a guidepath means formed as a plurality of guidepaths, each guidepath being complementary to the guide means, and optionally, the plurality of guidepaths are formed as two guidepaths at opposal positions of the interior surface of the hair roller.

Also provided by a variation of an embodiment of the subject invention is a removable hair roller having at least two additional guidepath means each for engaging a respective longitudinal edge of the hair retaining finger and, optionally, each of the two additional guidepath means comprises a longitudinal ridge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is an exploded side elevational view of a hair curling iron and a hair roller, embodying the subject invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the hair curling iron of Fig. 1 with the hair roller placed over the hair retaining finger;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hair roller of Figs. 1 and 2 taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hair retaining finger of Figs. 1 and 2 without the hair roller;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the hair retaining finger taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary cross- sectional view of the hair roller placed over the hair retaining finger in the embodiment of Figs, l and 2;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of hair curling iron with the hair roller placed over the hair retaining finger according to a second embodiment of the subject invention; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a hair curling iron with the hair roller placed over the hair retaining finger according to a third embodiment of the subject invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figs. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate an electrically powered hair curling iron 10 and a removable hair roller 30 embodying the subject invention. The hair curling iron 10 includes a handle 12 and a generally cylindrical perforate or apertured barrel 14. The handle 12 is attached by an electric cord 16 to an electric power source (not shown) which provides power to a heater (also not shown) mounted in the handle for generating heat and for directing the flow of the heated air to the barrel 14. A hair retaining finger 18 is mounted on the barrel at two pivot points 20 20a on opposite sides of the barrel 14 near the proximal end of the barrel, and extends therefrom in overlying relation to the barrel for at least most of the length of the barrel. The hair retaining finger 18 is biased by a spring 22 to press against the barrel 14. The hair retaining finger 18 has a free distal end 18a and a lever portion 23 projecting proximally from the pivot points 20, 20a to terminate in a button 24. By depressing button 24, the user can cause the distal end of the hair retaining finger 18 to be moved away from the barrel 14. The outer surface of the hair retaining finger 18 is provided with a guide 26 in the form of a longitudinal ridge extending for at least most of the length of the finger. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the hair roller 30 has an opening 32, 32a at each end and an outer surface formed with a number of through-holes or apertures 34. The outer surface is also studded with a number of spikes 36 for retaining hair which is wound around the outer surface of the hair roller 30. Near each opening 32, 32a and extending at least part way along the interior of the hair roller 30 one or more guidepaths 38, 38a, 39 in the form of grooves are provided. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the guidepaths are not contiguous; however, the subject invention envisions contiguous guidepaths extending the entire longitudinal length of the hair roller 30.

In operation, the user aligns at least one of the guidepaths 38, 38a, 39 of the hair roller 30 with the guide 26 on the outer surface of the hair retaining finger 18. The user then slides the hair roller 30 along the barrel 14 over the hair retaining finger 18 so that the hair roller fits completely over the barrel, that is, the nose 28 of the barrel 14 slides through both openings 32, 32a of the hair roller 30, see Fig. 6. The loose mating engagement of the longitudinal guide 26 on hair retaining finger 18 with the guidepaths 38, 38a near each opening 32, 32a, respectively, of the hair roller 30 provides an interference fit in the axial direction which prevents any significant axial movement of the hair roller 30 relative to the barrel 14. Since the hair roller 30 cannot rotate axially, the user can easily wind hair around the hair roller 30 without the hair roller rotating as the user winds the hair. Once the desired amount of hair is wound about the hair roller 30, the barrel 14 of the hair curling iron 10 slides out easily through the openings 32, 32a leaving the hair roller 30 entwined in the hair. This easy removal which is due to the loose mating engagement, is particularly advantageous since the user need not hold a release button while sliding the barrel and hair retaining finger out of the hair roller.

When the user desires to use the hair retaining finger 18, the user presses the button 24 to lift the distal end 18a of the hair retaining finger 18 away from the barrel 14. Once the user has wound the desired amount of hair directly around the barrel 14, the user releases the button 24 and the spring 22 causes the hair retaining finger 18 to press a portion of the wound hair against the barrel 14 so that the heat directed to the barrel 14 can be applied to the wound hair.

Although the subject invention has been described with the guide being a ridge and the guidepath being a continuous groove or series of groove sections, the subject invention also envisions other types of guides and guidepaths such as, but not limited to, a groove guide for loose mating engagement with a ridge guidepath or a series of ridge guidepath sections; or ridges 40 and complementary grooves 42 having various cross sections, see for example, Fig. 7. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the subject invention. This embodiment employs framing ridges or a series of framing ridge sections 50, 52 formed on the interior of the hair roller for matingly engaging the sides of the hair retaining finger loosely. These ridges also restrict the axial motion of the hair roller by creating an interference fit between each framing ridge 50, 52 and the respective edge of the hair retaining finger 54.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, various changes and modifications can be made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure and the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments are presented for the purposes of illustration only and the claims should be interpreted commensurate with spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A hair curling iron for curling hair comprising:

a handle for holding said hair curling iron;

a barrel attached to said handle for providing heat to said barrel;

a hair retaining finger permanently mounted to the hair curling iron for retaining hair between said barrel and said hair retaining finger; and

at least one removable hair roller for placement over said hair retaining finger and around said barrel;

said removable hair roller having guidepath means formed along an interior surface of said hair roller and said hair retaining finger having guide means formed along an outer surface of said hair retaining finger for preventing axial rotation of said hair roller.

2. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide means is a ridge and said guidepath means is a complementary groove.

3. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide means is a groove and said guidepath means is a complementary ridge.

4. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guidepath means comprises a plurality of non- contiguous sections.

5. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plurality of non-contiguous sections are formed at each end of said hair roller.

6. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guidepath means comprises a plurality of guidepaths, each guidepath being complementary to said guide means.

7. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of guidepaths comprises two guidepaths formed at opposal positions of said interior surface of said hair roller.

8. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 1, wherein said removable hair roller further comprises at least two additional guidepath means each for engaging a respective longitudinal edge of said hair retaining finger.

9. A hair curling iron as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said two additional guidepath means comprises a longitudinal ridge.