CN109984445B

CN109984445B - Moulding device with improved kinematics

Info

Publication number: CN109984445B
Application number: CN201811632121.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 尼古拉斯·洛谢; 沃兰迪·吉威勒
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2017-12-29
Filing date: 2018-12-29
Publication date: 2023-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2038-12-29
Also published as: FR3076189B1; EP3731693B1; CN210227228U; WO2019129875A1; EP3731693A1; CN109984445A; FR3076189A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a styling device (1) designed to be gripped and handled by hand and comprising at least one body (2) carrying, on the one hand, a gripping means (3) which varies between a hair tress introduction configuration and a hair tress gripping configuration, and, on the other hand, a return member (6) which returns said gripping means (3) in the gripping configuration, said gripping means (3) itself comprising at least one first jaw (4) which is movably mounted with respect to said body (2) between at least one open position and a closed position, said device (1) being characterized in that said first jaw (4) is designed to move between said open position and closed position while remaining parallel to itself.

Description

Moulding device with improved kinematics

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the general technical field of hairdressing or hair-dressing devices, preferably for household use, and more particularly to a portable electric hairdressing device for ensuring hair shaping, in particular hair straightening.

The invention relates more particularly to a styling device designed to be gripped and handled by hand, comprising at least one main body carrying, on the one hand, a gripping means which varies between an introduction configuration and a gripping configuration of the tresses of hair, and, on the other hand, a return member of said gripping means in the gripping configuration, said gripping means itself comprising at least one first jaw which is mounted movably with respect to said main body between at least one open and closed position.

Background

Electric hair straighteners are well known. They are usually presented in the form of V-shaped pincers, usually "sugar pincers" (pince a sugar) shape, the jaws of which consist of heating plates. These known hair straighteners allow the user to exert a local pressure on the hair strand by means of the clamp in question, while heating the hair strand, which allows to straighten the hair strand when the user moves the clamp along the hair strand.

These known devices have some drawbacks, even if they are generally satisfactory.

First, these known devices do not guarantee to obtain constant and repeatable results. In fact, the displacement pressure and speed manually imparted by the user can vary from one hair strand to another. In addition, some hairs may be subjected to higher pressures and temperatures than others in the same lock of hair.

Finally, the hair straightening effect obtained with these known devices varies very significantly in practice, depending on the way the user uses the device (applied pressure, positioning of the hair tresses in the device, speed of movement … … of the device with respect to the hair tresses), it being understood that the user himself does not have to be aware of parameters that may affect the final result.

Variability in the results is accompanied by a risk of discomfort: it is indeed common for known devices that some hairs are pulled rather than just straightened, which makes the use of these devices sometimes uncomfortable or even painful.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to seek remedial measures for the various disadvantages described above, and to propose a new moulding device which allows the quality and repeatability of the moulding result to be improved, as well as the comfort and safety of use.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new molding device which is particularly simple and compact in structure.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a new styling apparatus designed to promote the application of uniform pressure on the hair to be combed.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new molding machine which is particularly robust and reliable.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new molding device which allows a particularly effective straightening to be obtained in comfortable operating conditions.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new molding device which is ergonomically designed and which is particularly intuitive to use.

The object of the present invention is achieved with the aid of a styling device designed to be gripped and manipulated by hand, and comprising at least one body carrying, on the one hand, a gripping device that varies between an introduction configuration and a gripping configuration of a hair strand, and, on the other hand, a return member of said gripping device in the gripping configuration, said gripping device itself comprising at least one first jaw that is movably mounted with respect to said body between at least one open position and a closed position, said device being characterized in that said first jaw is designed to move between said open position and closed position while remaining parallel to itself.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge and emerge in greater detail on reading the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given purely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, in which:

fig. 1 shows a molding machine according to a first embodiment of the invention in a perspective view, wherein the clamping device is in a clamped configuration, said molding machine in this case forming an automatic hair straightener.

Fig. 2 shows the device of fig. 1 in a schematic cross-sectional view.

Figure 3 shows the device of figures 1 and 2 in a schematic axial section.

Fig. 4 shows the device of fig. 1 to 3 in a schematic perspective view, with the clamping device in the insertion configuration.

Fig. 5 shows the device of fig. 4 in a schematic axial sectional view.

Fig. 6 shows, in a schematic axial section, the device of the preceding figures, with the clamping device in an intermediate configuration, which is adopted when it moves from its clamping configuration to its introduction configuration.

Fig. 7 shows, in a schematic cross-section, the device of the preceding figures, with the clamping device in a clamped configuration.

Fig. 8 shows the device of the preceding figures in a schematic cross-sectional view, with the clamping device in the introduced configuration.

Fig. 9 shows a moulding device according to a second embodiment of the invention and its clamping device in a clamped configuration in a schematic axial sectional view.

Figure 10 schematically shows the device according to the invention in use.

Detailed Description

The molding machine 1 according to the invention is designed to be gripped and handled by hand. It is therefore a portable manual device, preferably for use in a domestic environment by users who are not expert in styling or hairdressing, that is to say in styling and in particular hair straightening.

Preferably, and according to the various embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the styling apparatus 1 forms a hair straightener, which allows the user to straighten his hair, preferably by providing heat and pressure. Preferably and as illustrated, the device 1 forms an automatic hair straightener, that is to say the apparatus 1 is designed to limit the active intervention of a user who does not have a specific technical gesture performed, for example gestures and operations that a hairdresser can perform to obtain similar results. The automatic nature of the device 1 allows, among other things, the device 1 itself to guarantee the relative movement of the locks to be combed and the device 1. Preferably, the device 1 is designed to be substantially fixed (with respect to the user's head) while simultaneously moving the hair tresses.

However, the invention is not limited to this particular embodiment and is fully contemplated for forming, for example, a hair curler, a hair iron, or any other device for shaping hair, automatic or non-automatic, for the styling apparatus 1. However, for the sake of brevity, the following description will focus only on the styling apparatus 1 guaranteeing the hair straightening function.

As shown, the device 1 according to the invention comprises at least one body 2, which itself advantageously comprises a housing, for example made of injection-molded material. The body 2 may be in the form of a single piece (as shown in the figures) or alternatively in the form of a combination of parts that may be movable relative to each other (variants not shown). The device 1 advantageously comprises a handle 2A for manual gripping to operate the device 1. The handle 2A is advantageously formed by the rear portion 200 of the aforesaid casing and extends backwards, for example by means of a power cord (not shown), and is used by the mobile portion 201 to receive the lock of hair C to rotate it in order to shape it (in this case to straighten it).

More specifically, the body 2 comprises a gripping device 3 that alternates between a hair strand C introduction configuration (see fig. 4,5, 8 and 9) and a hair strand C gripping configuration (see fig. 1 to 3 and 7). The introduction configuration advantageously corresponds to an open configuration of the device 1, in which the device 1 is substantially unable to exert any fastening on the hair tresses C to be combed, or at least can exert only a smaller fastening than that exerted in the gripping configuration. It is even possible that in the introduced configuration all or part of the hair strand C is not in contact with the gripping means 3. The introduction configuration advantageously allows the user to easily introduce at least one lock of hair C into the gripping device 3. It is thus an open configuration allowing one or more hair tresses C to be placed in the device 3. In the clamped configuration, the clamping device 3 exerts a tightening on the strand or strands C in question, that is to say, when the clamping device 3 is in said clamped configuration, a local pressure is exerted on the strand or strands introduced into the clamping device 3. For this purpose, the clamping device 3 itself comprises at least one first jaw 4 mounted to move with respect to the body 2 between at least one open position (fig. 4,5, 8 and 9) and at least one closed position (fig. 1 to 3 and 7). Preferably, the open and closed positions correspond to the introduced and clamped configurations, respectively.

Preferably, the open and closed positions of the first jaw 4 are stop positions defining a total travel of the first jaw 4. However, it is entirely possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, that the open position of the first jaw 4 does not necessarily correspond to the introduction configuration, in particular does not form a terminal stop position. In this case (not shown), the first jaw 4 can continue its travel beyond the open position, for example to a maximum open position, which corresponds for example to the introduction configuration. Thus, the open position in this variant forms an intermediate position between the closed position and the maximum open position. In this case, it is possible that the first jaw is parallel to itself when moving between its open and closed positions, but moves between its open and maximum open positions according to different movements (e.g. a pivoting movement with a change in direction and a steady state change). Thus, the first jaw 4 can first pivot (pure rotation) from the maximum open position in the direction of the closed position and then move parallel to itself (for example using a circular translation (translation circulaire)) to its closed position when approaching the closed position. In particular and advantageously, the first jaw 4 can move parallel to itself to at least an adjacent position of the hair strand C, for example over at least about 20% of the total travel before said first jaw comes into contact with the hair strand C.

The first jaw 4 is arranged substantially opposite the complementary support element, for cooperating to release or clamp the hair strand C when the first jaw 4 is in the open position or in the closed position. The complementary support element in question may be fixedly mounted with respect to the body 2 or, conversely, may be movably mounted with respect to the body 2 (as shown), and in this case for example in the form of a second jaw 5 which will be described in more detail below. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the body 2 advantageously forms a fixed housing in which the moving parts of the clamping device 3 move.

As shown, the body 2 further comprises a return member 6 of the clamping device 3 in the clamped configuration. In other words, the return member 6 is designed such that a return force is directly or indirectly, preferably permanently, exerted on the clamping device 3 to restrict the clamping device 3 from remaining in the clamped configuration without intervention of a user. This means that at rest the molding machine 1 is designed such that its clamping device 3 is in the clamped configuration by default. In other words, the device 1 adopts a natural closing/clamping configuration corresponding to the clamping configuration in the absence of external stresses. Thanks to this feature, the pressure exerted locally by the gripping means 3 on the tresses C to be shaped is not dependent on the manual force exerted by the user, but only on the return member 6. The clamping device 3 thus allows to apply a predetermined pressure, defined by the return member 6 independently of the user, to the hair strand to be shaped. As will become more clear from the following description, the return member 6 may take various forms, for example by applying an elastic return force by means of a spring 6B or another elastomer, or by means of a combination of a magnet 6A (permanent or electromagnet) and an element 10 made of ferromagnetic material cooperating with said magnet 6A. Regardless of the embodiment chosen, the return force exerted by the return member 6 is therefore predetermined by the configuration and is not dependent on the user. This allows to obtain optimal hair strand shaping results independent of the know-how and the flexibility of the user. For example, the return member 6 is designed such that the clamping force exerted by the clamping device 3 in the clamping configuration is substantially between 10 and 50N, and preferably substantially equal to 30N.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the first jaw 4 is designed to move between its open and closed positions, while remaining parallel to itself. In other words, when the first jaw 4 moves from its open position to its closed position, it remains permanently parallel to itself, that is to say its orientation relative to the body 2 remains fixed and unchanged, changing only the position of the first jaw 4 relative to the body 2 (i.e. the distance separating the first jaw 4 of the body 2). Thus, the steady state of the first jaw 4 advantageously remains unchanged when the first jaw 4 is moved from its open position to its closed position, that is to say, the steady state/inclination of the first jaw 4 remains unchanged regardless of the position of the first jaw (open, closed, intermediate … …). This means that the first jaw 4 considered at the moment T is always parallel to the first jaw 4 at the later moment t+1 when moving from its open position to its closed position and/or vice versa when moving from its closed position to its open position. Preferably, the body 2 comprises a rectilinear portion 20A (for example, allowing to stably place the device 1 on a table), and the first jaw 4 advantageously remains permanently parallel to this rectilinear portion 2A.

The first jaw 4 defines, for example, a pressure surface S1 for locally contacting the tresses C to be shaped, said pressure surface S1 being substantially parallel to the mean median plane P _M . The pressure surface S1 defined by the first jaw 4 is, for example in the context of a styling device designed to straighten hair, a substantially flat surface, likewise cooperating with an opposite pressure surface S2 defined by a complementary support element (for example the second jaw 5) to grip the hair tresses C.

Thus, when the first jaw 4 is opened therefromWhen the position is moved to its closed position, or vice versa, i.e. when the first jaw 4 is moved from its closed position to its open position, the pressure surface S1 defined by the first jaw 4 is permanently parallel to the mean median plane P _M . In other words, the pressure surface S1 defined by the first jaw 4 advantageously has a constant orientation with respect to the body 2. This feature allows to exert a particularly uniform and constant force on the tresses C to be shaped, independently of the positioning of the tresses C in the clamping device 3. In contrast, the prior art devices implement a pivoting jaw that articulates (pivots) about a hinge, so it is possible that the clamping force exerted on the hair strand closest to the hinge is greater than the clamping force exerted on the outside of the hair strand furthest from the hinge. In addition, this movement feature allows to apply a constant force, irrespective of the thickness of the hair strand C, since the contact point between the hair strand C and the gripping means 3 is no longer, as is the case in the known devices of the prior art, depending on the distance between the hair strand C and the hinge (pivot point). The invention thus allows avoiding this drawback and facilitates the application of a uniform force, ensuring repeatable results, regardless of the positioning of the hair strand to be shaped in the device 1.

The results therefore show that the combined implementation of the return member 6 of the clamping device 3 in the clamped configuration and the first jaw 4, which is designed to move it between its open and closed positions, while remaining permanently parallel with respect to itself, not only allows to obtain an excellent hair shaping effect (in this case straightened), but also in particular allows to obtain a repeatable and completely independent result of the way the user operates the device 1, the device 1 exerting a predetermined and uniform clamping force on the hair to be shaped. In fact, thanks to the combined use of the special kinematics of the return member 6 and of the first jaw 4 (keeping the movement parallel to itself), the device allows to apply a predetermined and perfectly adapted (i.e. chosen in advance by the designer of the device and independent of the user), and whatever the position of the hair tress C with respect to the gripping device and also whatever the thickness of the hair tress. In other words, the device object of the present invention guarantees an optimal result and high repeatability of the styling operation, whatever the level of experience of the user in styling, since the movement of the first jaw 4 and the return member 6 of the clamping means allow a random hair lock positioning and sizing. In addition, the combination of the kinematics of the return member 6 and the first jaw 4 avoids any excessive clamping force, thus simultaneously limiting the risk of pain for the user (hair being pulled or stuck).

Of course, the invention is not limited to the implementation of the pressure flat surfaces S1, S2, and it is entirely possible, for example, that at least one of said pressure surfaces S1, S2 has, for example, an irregular, wavy (for example, to achieve curly, perm or wavy hair) or other surface, to obtain a shaping effect different from the straightening effect. At least one of said pressure surfaces S1, S2 may further comprise one or more protrusions, such as teeth or spikes. The pressure surfaces S1, S2 preferably have complementary conjugate shapes (e.g., one convex and the other concave, or the surfaces S1, S2 have teeth arranged accordingly in a staggered arrangement, or as shown, the two surfaces S1, S2 are substantially flat and flattened).

Advantageously, the clamping means 3 are provided with heating means for simultaneously tightening and heating the tresses C to be shaped. The heating means may for example be carried in the first jaw 4 and/or in a complementary support element (for example formed by the second jaw 5) to heat the hair by conduction when pressed. In this case, the heating means advantageously comprise a resistive heating element, for example of the type of a positive temperature Coefficient (CTP) heating element.

Preferably, each pressure surface S1, S2 is a heat generating heating surface, which is adjusted to a temperature between 100 ℃ and 200 ℃, for example to about 170 ℃.

However, it is entirely possible for the heating means to be external to the first jaw 4 and to the complementary support element (second jaw 5) and to be constituted, for example, by convection heating means which effect a flow of hot air towards the clamping area of the clamping means 3. Accordingly, the styling apparatus 1 is able to heat the hair C to be styled while it is being pressed, to obtain a relatively effective and durable straightening effect.

Advantageously, the first jaw 4 is mounted in a circular translation with respect to the body 2 between its open and closed positions. Thus, the first jaw 4 follows a planar movement, wherein all points follow trajectories, each of which is a circle of the same radius but different centre, so that the first jaw 4 maintains a constant orientation throughout its displacement between its open and closed positions. The use of such a circular translational movement allows to realize the first jaw 4, which at the same time remains parallel to itself, moves in a particularly simple, reliable and inexpensive manner, in particular while limiting the risks of improper obstruction and the costs associated with typical rectilinear translational movements (sliding, sliding connection). It is preferable, for the reasons stated above, not mandatory, if a circular translational movement is used, and the molding device 1 can alternatively, for example, be implemented with the first jaw 4 mounted in a linear translation, for example in a sliding connection, with respect to the body 2, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, the use of a first jaw 4 mounted in a circular translation constitutes the invention, irrespective of the other features described herein. Such independent invention makes it possible, for example, to define more precisely the styling device 1 as it relates, designed to be gripped and handled by hand, and comprises at least one body 2 carrying a gripping means 3 that varies between an introduction configuration and a gripping configuration of the hair strand C, said gripping means 3 themselves comprising at least a first jaw 4 movably mounted with respect to the body 2 at least between an open position and a closed position, which correspond respectively to said introduction configuration and said gripping configuration, said first jaw 4 being mounted in circular translation with respect to the body 2 between its open and closed positions. The independent invention may or may not implement the return member of the clamping device 3 in the clamping configuration or in the introduction configuration.

Preferably, as shown, the first jaw 4 is mounted in a circular translation with respect to the body 2, according to a deformable parallel quadruple (montage de parall e gram) assembly. Thus, in this advantageous embodiment, the first jaw 4 forms a first side of the parallel quadruple in question, while the main body 2 forms a second side of said parallel quadruple arranged opposite to said first side, said first and second sides (that is to say said first jaw 4 and main body 2) being connected by a hinge element, preferably having the same length, so as to form a third side and a fourth side of the deformable parallel quadruple. As shown, the body 2 advantageously carries a first link 7 and a second link 8, each extending between respective first ends 7a,8a and being connected (by means of a hinge, preferably by means of a pivot) to said body 2, and respective second ends 7b,8b being connected (by means of a hinge, preferably by means of a pivot) to said first jaw 4. Each of said first 7 and second 8 links is therefore advantageously mounted at least rotationally with respect to the body 2 on the one hand and with respect to the first jaw 4 on the other hand according to respective axes of rotation parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane in which the circular translation movement of the first jaw 4 is introduced. The implementation of such a deformable parallel quadruple mechanism assembly by means of the first links 7 and 8 thus allows the first jaw 4 to move relative to the body 2 between an expanded condition (corresponding to the closed position) and a retracted condition (corresponding to the open position).

Advantageously, the molding apparatus 1 further comprises a control device 9 movably mounted with respect to the main body 2. The control means 9 are connected to the clamping means 3 and are manually operable to move said clamping means 3 from its clamping configuration (figures 1 to 3 and 7) to its introduction configuration (figures 4,5, 8 and 9). The control means 9 is thus arranged to be manually moved by a user and connected to the clamping means 3 using a method of motion conversion means allowing to convert the motion of the control means 9 into a motion of the first jaw 4 to move the first jaw 4 from its closed position to its open position.

The control device 9 is mounted, for example, movably with respect to the main body 2 between a first position (fig. 1 to 3 and 7) corresponding to the gripping configuration and a second position (fig. 4,5, 8 and 9) corresponding to the introduction configuration. The control means 9 may be mounted, for example, pivotably (as shown) and/or translatably with respect to the main body 2 between a first position and a second position thereof, for example, corresponding to the deployed and retracted states of the control means 9, respectively. In the unfolded state, the control means 9 protrude from the main body 2 towards the outside thereof; in the retracted state, the control means 9 disappear inside the body 2 under the effect of the user applying, for example, pressure. The control means 9 thus advantageously comprise at least one first switch 90 (or pin) pivotally mounted with respect to the body 2 according to a first pivot axis parallel to the pivot axes of the first 7 and second 8 links.

In order to convert the movement of the control means 9 into a movement of the first jaw 4, said first link 7 and control means 9 are arranged with respective interengaging surfaces 700, 900 cooperating to transmit to said first link 7a manual control force applied to the control means 9 to move said first jaw 4 from its closed position to its open position. The interengaging surfaces 900 of the control means 9 are arranged to advantageously form cams, preferably pivoting cams, which cause the complementary interengaging surfaces 700 of the first links 7 to be arranged to translate rotational movement of the control means 9 (in this case the first switch 90) into rotational movement of the links 7, which causes circular translational movement of the first jaws 4 from their closed to open positions. Of course, the use of such a cam system by the free mutual support of the interengaging surfaces 700, 900 is not mandatory and it is, for example, entirely possible to alternatively realize another stress transmission system, for example based on the cooperation of gears, additional links or any other suitable means (mechanical, electrical or other). Similarly, it is entirely possible that the control means 9 directly cause the first jaw 4 to move it from its closed position to its open position, instead of the first link 7. However, the connection of the control means 9 to the first link 7 for manipulating the movement of the first jaw 4 is particularly advantageous, since this allows to benefit from the effect of reducing the stresses which contributes to bringing it from the closed position to the open position. Thus, the user can advantageously operate the control device 9 with a single finger while maintaining the device 1 with the rest of the same hand. Thus, the device 1, in a particularly advantageous form as shown in its figures, allows the hair to be shaped (e.g. straightened) using a single hand.

Advantageously, the return member 6 exerts a return force allowing to return the clamping device 3 to the clamped configuration on said first link 7. The fact that the return member 6 directly exerts its return force on the first link 7 also allows to reduce the stress effect, which promotes a compact size of the return member 6. However, according to an alternative embodiment, such as that of fig. 9, it is entirely possible that the return member 6 does not directly exert its return force on the first jaw 4, but rather directly on the first link 7, for example in the form of one or more springs 6B or other elastomers interposed between the body 2 and the first jaw 4 (see fig. 9), so as to repel the first jaw 4 in the closed condition.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the return member 6 advantageously comprises at least one magnet 6A or spring 6B. More specifically, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 8, the return member 6 comprises at least one first magnet 6A attached to the first link 7, such that the first link 7 carries said first magnet 6A. For this purpose, the first link 7 is for example provided with a shutter 71 extending substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first link 7 (which passes through the first end 7A and the second end 7B), said shutter 71 advantageously forming an interengaging surface 700 and defining a housing containing the permanent magnets forming said first magnet 6A. In this case, the molding device 1 comprises at least one plate 10 made of ferromagnetic material, fixed (for example by gluing) to the body 2, so as to permanently establish a magnetic attraction between the magnet 6A and the plate 10. The attractive magnetic force forms a restoring force exerted by the return member 6.

In the clamped configuration, the shield 71 carrying the magnet 6A is pressed against the plate 10 by magnetic attraction and is permanently held in this position. When a user applies pressure on the switch 90 to the interior of the housing forming the body 2, the interengaging surfaces 900 carried by the switch 90 in question urge the flap 71 against the restoring force by a camming effect, thus pivoting the first link 7 to move the first jaw 4 from its closed position to its open position. Of course, instead of a magnet/ferromagnetic plate system, it is entirely possible to implement another return system (spring, electric actuator, electromagnet … …) without leaving the framework of the invention.

Advantageously, it is possible to employ that the first position of the control device 9 is the return position, that is to say that the control device 9 naturally remains in its first position, which corresponds to the clamped configuration and advantageously the deployed position as shown, without active manual intervention of the user on the control device 9. In this advantageous embodiment, the respective interengaging surfaces 700, 900 also preferably cooperate to transmit a restoring force exerted by the return member 6 on the first link 7 to the control device 9, to thereby restore the control device 9 to its first position. Thus, in this advantageous case, the cooperation of the respective interengaging surfaces 700, 900 is reciprocal in that it not only allows the manual control force applied to the control means 9 to be transmitted to the first link 7 to cause the first jaw 4 to be transmitted from its closed position to its open position, but also transmits the return force exerted by the return member 6 on the first link 7 to the control means 9 to cause the control means 9 to return to its first position. This design is particularly advantageous because it allows to obtain a particularly reliable and robust device, which also has compact and economical features.

As described above and according to the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the gripping device 3 advantageously comprises a second jaw 5 arranged opposite the first jaw 4, such that in the gripping configuration, said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5 are close enough to each other to grip a lock of hair C to be combed between them, while in the introduction configuration they are far enough from each other to release said lock of hair C. The second jaw 5 can be mounted fixed with respect to the body 2, but is preferably mounted movable with respect to said body 2 between an open position and a closed position corresponding to the gripping configuration and the introduction configuration of the gripping device 3, respectively.

Advantageously, the second jaw 5 is also mounted in a circular translation with respect to the body 2 between its open and closed position. This circular translation assembly is preferably obtained by mounting an assembly of the deformable parallel quadruple type, preferably similar to that described previously with respect to the first jaw 4. In this case, it is preferable that the third link 11 and the fourth link 12 carried in the body 2 each extend between a respective first end 11a,12a connected to the body 2 and a respective second end 11b,12b connected to the second jaw 5. When the second rod 8 and the fourth rod 12 are also substantially identical or at least symmetrical, the third link 11 is substantially identical or at least symmetrical to the first link 7. Third link 11 also preferably carries a magnet 60A for cooperation with a corresponding sheet 100 to return second jaw 5 to the closed position.In this case, the control means 9 advantageously comprise a second switch 90 identical to the first switch 91 and, as illustrated, are arranged with respect to the mean median plane P with the first switch 90 _M Symmetrical. The molding device 1 thus advantageously exhibits a median plane P with respect to symmetry _M In the embodiment shown in the figures, the median plane corresponds to the contact surface of the first jaw 4 and of the second jaw 5 in their respective closed positions, said median plane P _M Advantageously parallel to the axes of rotation of the first, second, third and fourth links 7,8, 11, 12.

Preferably, the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5 are designed to move simultaneously in opposite directions with corresponding circular translational movements. This means that during the change of the clamping device 3 from its clamped configuration to its introduced configuration, the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5 are simultaneously distanced from each other and, according to a symmetrical respective movement, distanced from each other until reaching their respective open positions corresponding to the maximum spacing between said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5. The first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5 are advantageously moved in phase while preferably permanently remaining parallel to each other, so that the clamping device 3 is in its clamped configuration when each is in its respective closed position. In order to achieve such simultaneous and synchronous movement of the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5, the control means 9 are advantageously connected to both the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5 so that they are simultaneously driven from their respective closed positions to their respective open positions. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 8, the two switches 90, 91 are connected to each other by a transmission link, so that the driving force exerted on one of the switches 90, 91 is automatically reflected to the other switch 91, 90, or vice versa, i.e. the driving force exerted on one of the switches 91, 90 is automatically reflected to the other switch 90, 91.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5 are respectively arranged with a first pad 14 and a second pad 15 for contact with respective portions of the hair tress C to be shaped. The pads 14, 15 thus advantageously form the pressure surfaces S1, S2, respectively. The pads 14, 15 in question are preferably flat and advantageously made of a heat-conducting material, smooth, preferably covered with enamel, ceramic material, glass layer, etc. Each pad 14, 15 advantageously has a substantially rectangular shape and advantageously forms a hair straightening plate. However, as previously mentioned, it is entirely possible that at least one of the pads 14, 15 does not have a planar shape, depending on the desired shaping effect. For example, one and/or the other of the pads 14, 15 may have corrugations, protrusions (teeth, pins, etc.), as previously mentioned with respect to the pressure surfaces S1, S2. Preferably, the pads 14, 15 have complementary shapes to each other, so that, when the jaws 4 and 5 are closed, for example, one can enter the other, either bear against the other, or press against the other (as shown). Advantageously, at least one of said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5 comprises a heating pad 14, 15, said heating pad 14, 15 being intended to be in contact with the hair strand to be clamped. Thus, at least one, and preferably both, of said pads 14, 15, 14, 15 directly contributes to pressing and heating the hair tresses to be shaped, so that they are interposed between and pressed by both pads 14, 15.

Advantageously, in order to adapt and compensate for possible thickness variations in the tresses C to be clamped to be shaped, at least one of said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5 comprises, on the one hand, a frame 13 movably mounted with respect to the body 2 and, on the other hand, a pad 15 floatingly mounted with respect to said frame 13, said pad 15 being intended to be in contact with the tresses C to be clamped. "float assembly" refers herein to the fact that the pad 15 is embedded on the frame 13, the gap allowing the pad 15 to move relative to the frame 13, for example perpendicular to the aforesaid mean median plane P at least in the vertical direction _M And (5) moving. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the frame 13 is for example part of the second jaw 5 and is thus connected to the body 2 by means of the first and second links 11, 12, whereas the pad 15 is attached to the frame 13 and has the possibility of moving relative to the frame 13. For example, the pad 15 is slidably guided with respect to the frame 13 by the cooperation of a pin 15A integral with the pad 14 and a conjugated lamp 13A carried by the frame. A flexible element (e.g. an elastomeric block or spring) is interposed between the pad 15 and the frame 13 to push the pad 14 inwards (i.e. towards the mean median plane P _M ). Thus, the pad 15 can be formed with the material to be formedThe profile of the hair tresses C is matched, which is advantageous in facilitating obtaining satisfactory results by allowing a particularly uniform and even application of pressure on the hair tresses C concerned.

Advantageously, the styling device 1 is an automatic device designed to automatically roll the locks C to be combed inside the gripping device 3. For this purpose, the body 2 advantageously comprises friction drive means 16 of the tresses of hair designed to roll a tress of hair C between said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5 in the closed position, for example at a speed comprised between 1 and 5cm/s, preferably about 2 cm/s. The friction drive means 16 comprise, for example, a motorized roller 16A arranged transversely downstream of said first and second jaws 4,5 in relation to the rolling direction of the tresses C between the closed jaws 4,5, the body 2 also advantageously carrying a pressure roller 16B, the pressure roller 16B being mounted freely rotatable with respect to the body 2 and for pressing against the motorized roller 16A to press the tresses C to be combed against the motorized roller 16A. Thus, the relative tress C is intended to be inserted between the two rollers 16A,16B and by locally adhering the behaviour of the pressure roller 16B to the motorized roller 16A, it allows to drive the friction tress C and slide between the closed jaws 4,5, which locally grips the tress upstream of the rollers 16A, 16B. Preferably, said first jaw 4 and second jaw 5 carry said motorized roller 16A and pressure roller 16B, respectively, and therefore said rollers 16A,16B advantageously remain permanently parallel to each other, optimizing the contact between the rollers 16A,16B and thus the actuation of the locks of hair C.

Advantageously, the body 2 further comprises comb means 17 for said locks C driven by the driving means 16.

The rolling direction of the tresses C is advantageously arranged upstream of the pinching means 3. The comb means 17 comprises a plurality of teeth or bristles, for example arranged in rows or clusters, so as to form a comb or brush. The comb device 17 advantageously allows to divide the hair tresses C to be shaped into a plurality of small hair tresses and to distribute them well over the treatment surface formed by the pads 14, 15. The comb device 17 thus allows the hair strands C to spread well between the jaws 4,5 to facilitate their shaping by heating the jaws 4, 5. Preferably, the comb device 17 also ensures the tensioning function of the tresses C, in particular by a frictional local resistance against the movement of the tresses C towards the driving means 16.

The invention thus allows in its preferred embodiment shown in the drawings to provide excellent styling results in a simple, quick, automatic and intuitive way, irrespective of the user and the way in which the device 1 is used.

The invention thus relates to a styling device 1, preferably in particular for straightening hair, and whose closed position of the jaws 4,5 corresponds to the natural configuration (rest configuration) of the device 1. In this natural rest position, which corresponds to the gripping configuration of the gripping device 3, the jaws 4,5 and the pads 14, 15 are carried by said jaws 4,5 parallel to each other and said pads 14, 15 abutting each other, respectively. In this natural rest configuration of the device 1, the control means 9 are in their first position, which is advantageously an elastic return position, and the pressure roller 16B is pressed against the motorized roller 16A.

Applying pressure on the control means 9 to permanently resist the elastic return force applied on the control means 9 allows to move the device 1 from its stable rest configuration to an unstable open configuration, wherein the device 1 is maintained by manual operation of the control means 9 by the user to force the user to occupy its second position. During the transition from the natural resting configuration to the unstable open configuration, the jaws 4,5 and the pads 14, 15 respectively carried by them remain permanently parallel to each other over at least a portion of the terminal ends and preferably over their respective full displacements. Once the device 1 is in the open configuration, the pressure roller 16B is distanced from the motorized roller 16A, while the gripping device 3 is in the introduction configuration. Once the user releases his manual force on the control means 9, the device 1 spontaneously returns to its natural rest configuration (closed configuration described above).

The operation and use of the device 1 is for example as follows.

The user first grasps the hair tress C with one hand and the device 1 with the other hand, while preparing to affix the hair to his scalp, or at least close to the scalp, so that the driving means 16 is arranged in the vicinity of the scalp, and the comb means 17 is arranged opposite the driving means 16, in a position furthest from the scalp.

The user then actuates the control means 9, forcing the device 1 out of its normally closed configuration to reach its unstable open configuration. The user can then move the device 1 in order to easily place the locks C inside the device 1, between the motorized roller 16A and the pressure roller 16B, on the one hand, between the first jaw 4 and the second jaw 5, and, on the other hand, between the teeth of the comb device 17. Once the hair strand C is inside the device 1, the user releases the control means so that the device 1 returns to its normally closed configuration, in which the driving means 16 are therefore able to drive the hair strand C to be shaped. The tress C will then roll in the comb device 17 at a suitable speed and then in the clamping device 3 it clamps the hair appropriately to straighten the tress C in a particularly sustainable, fast and automatic manner.

Claims

1. Moulding device (1) designed to be gripped and handled by hand and comprising at least one body (2) carrying, on the one hand, a gripping device (3) which varies between a tress introduction configuration and a tress gripping configuration, and, on the other hand, a return member (6) which returns said gripping device (3) to the gripping configuration, said gripping device (3) itself comprising at least one first jaw (4) which is movably mounted with respect to said body (2) between at least one open and closed position, said device (1) being characterized in that said first jaw (4) is designed to be moved between said open and closed positions while remaining parallel to itself, characterized in that said first jaw (4) is mounted to translate in a circular shape with respect to the body (2) according to a deformable parallel four-way mechanism between its open and closed positions.

2. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (2) carries a first and a second link (7, 8), each extending between a respective first end (7 a,8 a) connected to the main body (2) and a respective second end (7 b,8 b) connected to the first jaw (4).

3. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the return member (6) exerts a restoring force on the first link (7).

4. A molding apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a control device (9) movably mounted with respect to the main body (2), the control device (9) being connected to the clamping device (3) and being manually operable to move the clamping device from its clamping configuration to its introduction configuration.

5. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the control device (9) is movably mounted with respect to the main body (2) between a first position corresponding to the clamping configuration and a second position corresponding to the introduction configuration, the first position being the return position.

6. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a control device (9) movably mounted with respect to the main body (2), the control device (9) being connected to the clamping device (3) and being manually operable to move the clamping device from its clamping configuration to its introduction configuration, the first link (7) and the control device (9) being provided with respective interengaging surfaces (700, 900) cooperating to transmit to the first link (7) a manual control force applied to the control device to move the first jaw (4) from its closed position to its open position.

7. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the return member (6) exerts a return force on the first link (7), the control device (9) being movably mounted with respect to the main body (2) between a first position corresponding to the clamped configuration, which is a return position, and a second position corresponding to the introduced configuration, the respective interengaging surfaces (700, 900) further cooperating to transmit the return force exerted by the return member (6) on the first link (7) to the control device (9) so as to return the control device (9) to its first position.

8. A molding apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the return member (6) comprises at least one magnet (6A) or spring (6B).

9. A styling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the clamping means (3) comprise a second jaw (5) arranged opposite the first jaw (4) such that, in a clamped configuration, the first and second jaws (4, 5) are close enough to each other to clamp a hair strand therebetween, while in introduction they are far enough from each other to release the hair strand.

10. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the second jaw (5) is movably mounted with respect to the main body (2) between an open position and a closed position corresponding to the introduction configuration and the clamping configuration, respectively.

11. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the second jaw (5) is mounted in a circular translation with respect to the main body (2) between its open and closed position.

12. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the first and second jaws (4, 5) are designed to move simultaneously in opposite directions with a corresponding circular translational movement.

13. Styling device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that said body (2) carries a hair tress friction drive (16) designed to roll a strand of hair between said first and second jaws (4, 5) in a closed position.

14. The styling device (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the body (2) is also provided with a comb device (17) for the locks driven by the drive device, the comb device (17) being arranged upstream of the clamping device (3) with respect to the rolling direction of the locks.

15. The styling device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the first and second jaws (4, 5) comprises, on the one hand, a frame (13) movably mounted with respect to the body (2) and, on the other hand, a pad (15) floatingly mounted with respect to the frame (13), the pad (15) being intended to be in contact with the hair tresses to be clamped.

16. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a control device (9) movably mounted with respect to the main body (2), the control device (9) being connected to the clamping device (3) and being manually operable to move the clamping device from its clamping configuration to its introduction configuration, the control device (9) being connected to both the first and second jaws (4, 5) to drive them from their respective closed positions to their respective open positions.

17. A styling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the clamping means (3) are arranged with heating means for clamping and heating hair tresses.

18. Molding apparatus (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the clamping device (3) is arranged with heating means for clamping and heating the hair strand, at least one of the first and second jaws (4, 5) comprising a heating pad (14, 15) for contact with the hair strand to be clamped.

19. A styling device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it forms a hair straightener.