CN219330908U - Combination comprising a non-heated hair curler and a heated hair curler clip - Google Patents

Abstract

The present utility model relates to a combination comprising a non-heated light weight hair curler having a cylindrical outer surface for winding hair strands and a heated hair curler clip having a pair of semi-cylindrical heat accumulating members. The hair curler clip is adapted to enable the heat storage member to collectively surround and conform to the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle to heat the wrapped hair bundle while applying pressure to the wrapped hair bundle against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

Description

Combination comprising a non-heated hair curler and a heated hair curler clip

Technical Field

The present utility model relates to hair curling systems and methods, and more particularly to hair curling using hair curlers and heat.

Background

Hair curlers are popular because they are expected to provide a quick solution to hair curling. In reality, most hair curlers do not honor this desire.

It is well known and understood that to change the shape of hair, hydrogen bonds in the hair must be broken and then reestablished to maintain the new shape of the hair. These hydrogen bonds can be broken with water or heat. In the past, "wet set" has been popular but has been outdated. However, heated styling tools have been subject to time considerations. In order to style hair using heat, the hair must be exposed to high temperatures and then allowed to cool rapidly while in the curled shape. If the hair is released from the curler before it has cooled completely, the new curled shape will be "stretched".

Empirically, an ideal hot styling iron should perform the following functions:

rapid warming;

rapid cooling;

high temperatures are reached;

easy to apply and remove by the user;

does not burn the scalp of the user when it is on the hair;

does not burn the user's fingers during application;

after removal of the heat source, the curl shape remains unchanged.

Over the years, many different designs and concepts have been invented and introduced into the marketplace in an effort to improve the user experience associated with hair curls. Two areas of interest to developers are:

faster heating-better heat transfer from the heat source to the hair curlers is designed by increasing the heat transfer area, improving the contact between hair curlers and heater, using PTC heaters in each hair curler and using induction coils to heat the steel core inside each hair curler.

Higher curler temperature-this is one of the most challenging aspects of designing an efficient heated curler because the user must handle the heated curler with his fingers during the curling process around the curler. Attempts to solve this problem have included extending the length of the hair curler pin to allow the fingers to be farther from the hair curler surface when curling hair, isolating the ring from the hair curler body, and leaving the hair partially exposed to the metal core.

Despite these developments, there remains a need for a hair curling system and method that overcomes the above-described typical shortcomings to meet all of the criteria defining how permanent curls are to be created.

Disclosure of Invention

The present utility model may be implemented as or with a number of self-clamping light weight hair curlers that have been widely accepted by users, as well as heated hair curler clips or combinations thereof that are designed and shaped to clamp onto the self-clamping hair curler after the hair bundle has been wound around the self-clamping hair curler. Since the self-clamping hair curlers are kept at room temperature, they are easy to use, as the user only has to wind the desired hair bundle around the hair curlers. Once the hair strands are wrapped around the curlers, the curlers remain in place even before the heated curlers are clamped over the curlers. A simple small hairpin may be used as an additional securing means.

After placing the hair curler(s) on the hair, the user applies the heated hair curler clip to the hair bundle wrapped around the hair curler and removes the heated hair curler clip after a specified time, still leaving the lightweight plastic hair curler on the hair to cool quickly to room temperature before removing the hair curler. This process will result in a durable firm curl.

The heated hair curler clip according to the present utility model includes a heat storage member that is sized and dimensioned and selected for its ability to store heat and maximize the rate of heat transfer to the hair strands wrapped around the hair curler. The heat storage member is heated prior to application by a heating element integral with the heated hair curler clip or by application of an external heat source. Typically, each hair curler clamps two heat accumulating members, which are secured by a spring loaded housing made of a thermally insulating material, to ensure that the hot heat accumulating members do not contact the user's skin.

For example, two systems for heating a hair curler clip are described herein, including hair curler clips associated with each system: a system includes a PTC heating element integral with a hair curler clip and permanently attached to a heat storage member. When the hair curler clip is placed in a storage unit comprising electrical contacts, the PTC heating element is energized; another system includes a storage unit containing a heater bar that transfers heat to a heat storage member of the hair curler clip when the hair curler clip engages the heater bar, as will be described below.

The present utility model provides an assembly comprising a non-heated hair curler having a cylindrical outer surface for wrapping hair strands therearound and a heated hair curler clip comprising a pair of heat accumulating members; the hair curler clip is adapted to enable the heat storage member to collectively surround and conform to the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle to heat the wrapped hair bundle while applying pressure to the wrapped hair bundle against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

Advantageously, the hair curler clip comprises a pair of insulated housing portions, each housing portion holding a heat accumulating member and being hingedly connected to the other housing portion to form a clamshell arrangement, the hair curler clip further comprising a spring adapted to bias the pair of insulated housing portions such that the heat accumulating member surrounds and conforms to the hair curler and wound hair bundle to heat the wound hair bundle while applying pressure to the wound hair bundle against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

Advantageously, each insulated housing portion includes a gripping portion adapted to both allow gripping of the hair curler clip and to enable relative deployment of the pair of insulated housing portions to release the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle from the hair curler clip.

Advantageously, the hair curler comprises a lightweight, hollow tube.

Advantageously, a device adapted to receive one or more hair curler clips and capable of heating the heat accumulating members of said hair curler clips is further combined.

Advantageously, the heat accumulating member comprises an electrical heating element; and the apparatus comprises a recess adapted to receive one or more of the hair curler clips and in which is provided an electrical contact adapted to contact the electrical heating element to enable energisation and heating of the electrical heating element.

Advantageously, the electrical heating element is one of a fixed resistive heater and a PTC heater.

Advantageously, the apparatus comprises one or more metallic tubes, each metallic tube being heated by a heat source contained therein; and the heat storage member is adapted to engage with one of the metal tubes and be heated by conduction of heat from that metal tube.

Advantageously, each heat source heats a tube associated with that heat source by one of radiant heating and conductive heating.

Advantageously, the apparatus comprises one or more non-metallic tubular members containing an induction coil therein; and the heat storage member is adapted to engage with one of the non-metallic tubular members and comprises a metallic member adapted to be heated by induction radiation from the induction coil.

Drawings

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which,

figure 1 sets forth a perspective view of a first hair curling system;

figure 2 is a perspective view of the hair curling system of figure 1 with the cover open;

figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curling system of figure 1;

figure 4A is a side perspective view of a hair curler clip of the system of figure 1;

figure 4B is an exploded perspective view of the hair curler clip of figure 4A and the hair curler of the system of figure 1;

figure 4C is a perspective view of a hair curler assembly of the hair curler clip/system of figure 1;

figure 5 is a top perspective view of the curling iron clip of figure 4A;

figure 6 is an end view of the curling iron clip of figure 4A;

figure 7 is a side elevational view of the hair curler clip of figure 4A;

figure 8 is a top plan view of the curling iron clip of figure 4A;

figure 9 is a bottom view of the curling iron clip of figure 4A;

figure 10 is a top perspective view of the hair curler clip/hair curler assembly of figure 4C;

figure 11 is an end view of the curling iron clip/curling iron assembly of figure 4C;

figure 12 is a side elevational view of the curling iron clip/curling iron assembly of figure 4C;

figure 13 is a top plan view of the curling iron clip/curling iron assembly of figure 4C;

figure 14 is a bottom view of the curling iron clip/curling iron assembly of figure 4C;

figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the hair curler clip/hair curler assembly of figure 4C, taken along line 15-15 of figure 12;

figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curler clip of figure 4A;

figure 17 is a top view of the hair curling system of figure 1 with the cover removed;

figure 18 sets forth a cross-sectional view of the hair curling system of figure 1, taken along line 18-18 of figure 17;

figure 19 sets forth a perspective view of the second hair curling system;

figure 20 is a front elevational view of the hair curling system of figure 19;

figure 21 is a perspective view of the hair curling system of figure 19 with a hair curler clip of the hair curling system inserted into a heating stick for heating.

Figure 22 is a perspective view of the hair curling system of figure 19 with another hair curler clip of the hair curling system removed after heating;

figure 23 sets forth a top view cross-section of the hair curling system of figure 19, taken along line 23-23 of figure 20;

figure 24 sets forth a side cross-sectional view of the hair curling system of figure 19, taken along line 24-24 of figure 20;

figure 25 is a top plan view of a hair curler clip of the system of figure 19;

figure 26 is an exploded perspective view of the hair curler clip of the system of figure 25; and

figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the hair roller clip/hair roller assembly of figure 4C taken along line 27-27 of figure 25.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 through 18 illustrate a first exemplary system 100 having six heated hair curler clips 102 in combination with hair curler clip heating and storage device 104 and hair curler 106.

The device includes an outer housing 108, an inner housing 112, and a cover 114 hinged to the outer housing. Lifting the cover exposes the inner housing in which six recesses 116 are provided for receiving the crimper clips.

The outer housing includes a power switch 120 to start/stop power to the system via a common power cord (not shown). Within each recess are four first electrical contacts 118. A normally open switch 122 is provided in the center of the top of the inner housing, and when the lid is closed, the normally open switch 122 is forced into a closed state by a probe 124 of the lid. When the switch is open, the first electrical contact is de-energized, and when the switch is closed and the power switch is in its active position, the first electrical contact is energized such that a voltage difference exists between the contact pairs on each side of the recess. This is a safety feature that ensures that no charged components will be contacted when the lid is lifted. A thermal protector (not shown) within the housing may interrupt the power supply when an abnormally high temperature is sensed. The inner housing contains electrical wires for connecting various electrical components (not shown).

Hair strands (not shown) are wrapped around each unheated hair curler in a conventional manner, while the system is energized, the system's cover is closed and the hair curler clips are inserted into the recesses. The hair curler clip is then heated as will be explained later, while the hair curler is applied to the hair in a cooled state.

Each hair curler clip is made of two halves 130R and 130L, each of which is made up of a heated inner semi-cylindrical heat storage member 138 in intimate contact with PTC heating element 132, covered by semi-cylindrical shells 134R and 134L, respectively, of preferably plastic. A support frame 136 made of an electrically insulating material is provided between the housing and the heat storage member to position and support the PTC heating elements. The thermal insulation pad 139 surrounds the outer periphery of the support frame and covers the outer surface of the thermal storage member to isolate the housing from the hot thermal storage member. The second electrical contacts 137 of the PTC element pass through the apertures of the support frame and are arranged to make electrical contact with the first electrical contacts when the hair curler clips are fully inserted into their respective recesses. Closing the cover may force the hair curler clip into its fully inserted position, as shown in fig. 18. The closed lid also serves to retain heat within the recess.

A semicircular extruded heat storage member 138 covers the PTC heating elements to line the inner surface of the hair curler clip. These heat storage members are thermally conductive to uniformly distribute the heat of the PTC element over the entire inner surface. This ensures that all hair strands are heated uniformly. The spring clips 142 are positioned between the support frame 136 and the PTC elements to force the PTC elements against the extruded heat storage member for optimal thermal contact. In addition, the thermal paste may be arranged between the PTC and the heat storage member in a stacked manner.

The housing is hingedly connected and biased about the connection hinge 144 by a torsion spring 146 toward the closed position of fig. 4A. The housings each include extended gripping tabs 148R and 148L, respectively, to allow a user to both comfortably grip the heated curling iron clip thereby, and squeeze the gripping tabs together to push the two halves apart about the hinge and against the bias of the spring into the open position of fig. 4B. This arrangement is commonly referred to as a "clamshell" configuration and its function is commonly referred to as a "clamshell", as that term is used herein in anticipation of definition. As shown in fig. 4B and 4C, the hair curler clip may then be placed over the hair wrapped hair curler and the grip tab released to allow the hair curler clip to press against the hair curler and hair.

When the grip tab is released, the spring firmly biases the hot semi-cylindrical element around the hair curler and applies heat and pressure to the hair bundle. The heat storage member is shaped and sized to correspond to the outer diameter of the hair curler.

Once the hair curler clip has sufficiently heated the hair, it is removed. The hair curler is lightweight, has an open end, and is hollow to allow a cooling air flow therethrough to accelerate the cooling of hair.

The device can also be used as a compact and organized storage case when the system is not in use.

Figures 19 through 27 illustrate a second exemplary system 200 having a plurality of heated hair curler clips 202 in combination with a hair curler clip heating and storage device 204. For any similar features and components not fully described herein again, reference should also be made to the first system of fig. 1-18.

Each hair curler clip is made of two halves 209, each of which is made of a heated inner semi-cylindrical heat storage member 206, preferably of extruded aluminum. The heat storage members are each covered by a semi-cylindrical housing 208 preferably made of a thermally insulating material such as plastic. A thermal insulation layer 210 is provided between the housing and the heat storage member to further prevent heat loss from the heat storage member and to keep the housing cool to the touch.

The housing is hingedly connected and biased about the connection hinge 212 to a closed position by a torsion spring 214 as in the first embodiment. Moreover, as in the first embodiment, the housings each include extended gripping tabs 216 to allow a user to both grasp the heated curling iron clip without being burned, and squeeze the gripping tabs together to push the halves apart about the hinge and into their open position against the bias of the spring.

The heat storage member is first heated by the apparatus 204 as will be explained later. A user's hair bundle (not shown) is wrapped around the cylindrical hair curler 222 and each heated hair curler clip is removed from the device, opened and placed on the hair curler and hair bundle as described above. When the grip tab is released, the spring firmly biases the hot semi-cylindrical heat storage member around the hair curler and applies heat and pressure to the hair bundle. The shape and size of the heated semi-cylindrical heat storage member is designed to correspond to the diameter of the hair curler.

The hair curler is lightweight, has an open end, and is hollow to allow a cooling air flow therethrough to accelerate the cooling of hair.

As mentioned above, the heat storage members of the hair curler clip are preheated by the device before they are placed on the hair/hair curler. The metallic cylindrical heating tube 232 is heated by the heating element 234 therein and the diameter of the tube is the same as the diameter of the hair curler so that the hair curler clip grips the tube as it grips the hair curler firmly and remains in close engagement therewith to maximize heat transfer to the heat storage member.

The hair curler clip may be slightly opened and slid down onto the tube through the circular opening 244 in the top of the device, as shown in fig. 21, the gripping tab of the slightly opened hair curler clip may slide vertically through the slot 246 so that the hair curler clip may be stacked vertically for heating or storage. The lowermost hair curler clip may be pinched open to remove the hair curler clip from the device at the bottom of the tube through an appropriately sized opening 248.

The thermal storage member is secured within the plastic housing by a forked end 256, which forked end 256 is designed to engage a tab 258 integral with the housing and further secured by a screw 252 securing the other end of the thermal storage member. The heat insulating layer is sandwiched between the housing and the heat storage member. The housing covers the ends of the elements to protect the user from the hot surface during use. The grip tab is provided with stiffening ribs 254.

The heating and storage device rapidly preheats the hair curler clip. The storage device 204 houses controls and electrical wires for heating the tubing. Each tube has an insulating top 260 to prevent accidental contact with hot tubes by a user. The storage device portion surrounding the tube may be molded as a one-piece housing having a back panel, two side panels, a front panel, and a top. There are two circular openings 244 in the top and a vertical slot 246 and a widened opening 248 in the front panel.

Since some users may want more than one hair curling size, some hair curler clips may be larger and some smaller, and the two heating tubes may have different diameters to accommodate the larger or smaller hair curler clips, respectively. The control knob 262 allows the user to select the temperature of the hair curler clip and/or set a timer, which may be optimized for their hair type and hair curling style they want.

Alternatively, reference numeral 234 represents an induction coil, the tube 232 is nonmetallic and electrically insulated, and the semi-cylindrical heat storage member 206 is heated by induction with the coil.

The use of an induction coil to heat the heat storage member provides several advantages, such as a very fast warm-up time, which may allow for the use of a single tube not exceeding the axial dimension of the hair curler clip, possibly eliminating the need to use tubes of different diameters for hair curler clips of different diameters, as induction heating occurs within the molecular structure of the heat storage member, rather than by conduction. In addition, since the tube containing the induction coil does not heat up, it can be exposed to the outside and it is not necessary to prevent the user from touching. It should be noted that in order to be heated by induction, the heat storage member must be made of or contain a paramagnetic metal such as iron.

One unique aspect of the disclosed system is that the hair curler is lightweight and at room temperature when applied to the hair. This is in contrast to the prior art, where the hair curlers are preheated prior to wrapping the hair around the hair curlers. This provides a number of advantages, including:

the hair curler at room temperature is easier to handle than a heated hair curler, allowing the user to wind the hair bundle more tightly around the hair curler than if the hair curler were hot and the user would have to worry about scalding their fingers.

Because the hair curler is lightweight, it allows hair wound on the hair curler to cool down more quickly after removal of the hot hair curler clip, thereby speeding up the hair curling process, as compared to prior art preheated hair curlers which have been cooled down for longer due to the necessarily greater mass.

The heated hair curler clip can be reused without having to reheat, as the user simply waits for the hair to reach a high temperature, and then removes the hair curler clip and places it on another hair curler with the hair strands wrapped around it.

The hair curler clip as disclosed herein is capable of rapidly heating hair to 150 ℃ or higher and then rapidly cooling the hair once the hair curler clip is removed. Heating of the hair curler clip may be accomplished by the PTC device shown, or by one of resistive heating, radiant heating or inductive heating in combination with the device. For example, PTC elements, which are known for their ability to rapidly warm up and maintain a constant steady state temperature due to their steep resistance-temperature curve, may be replaced with resistive heating elements only, for cost or size considerations. Or the device may comprise an induction field generating coil and the PTC element may be replaced by ferromagnetic chips which are not electrically connected to the device but are heated by being brought close to the energizing coil. Or the PTC chip may be omitted and the recess may include a heating element to heat the extruded heat storage member without electrical connection with the hair curler clip. A timer or thermal control 152 allows control of the heating to achieve and maintain the proper temperature of the hair curler clip.

Various other well known methods of heating hair curlers, the key aspects of which include heating hair curlers rather than hair curlers, to rapidly obtain a high level of heat, and then rapidly dissipating heat using a rapidly cooled hair curler, may be employed without departing from the present utility model. It is understood that while the utility model has been shown and described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments shown, various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the utility model, and therefore the utility model is to be limited only by the following claims, including all equivalent interpretations to which they are entitled.

Claims (13)

1. A combination comprising a non-heated hair curler having a cylindrical outer surface for wrapping hair strands therearound and a heated hair curler clip comprising a pair of heat accumulating members; wherein the hair curler clip is adapted to enable the heat storage member to collectively surround and conform to the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle to heat the wrapped hair bundle while applying pressure to the wrapped hair bundle against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the hair curler clip comprises a pair of insulated housing portions, each housing portion holding a heat storage member and being hingedly connected to the other housing portion to form a clamshell arrangement, the hair curler clip further comprising a spring adapted to bias the pair of insulated housing portions such that the heat storage member surrounds and conforms to the hair curler and wrapped hair strand to heat the wrapped hair strand while applying pressure to the wrapped hair strand against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein each insulated housing portion includes a gripping portion adapted to both permit gripping of the hair curler clip and relatively unfolding of the pair of insulated housing portions to release the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle from the hair curler clip.

4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the hair curler comprises a lightweight, hollow tube.

5. The combination of claim 1, further in combination with a device adapted to receive one or more hair curler clips and capable of heating the hair curler clip's heat storage member.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the hair curler clip comprises a pair of insulated housing portions, each housing portion holding a heat storage member and being hingedly connected to the other housing portion to form a clamshell arrangement, the hair curler clip further comprising a spring adapted to bias the pair of insulated housing portions such that the heat storage member surrounds and conforms to the hair curler and wrapped hair strand to heat the wrapped hair strand while applying pressure to the wrapped hair strand against the cylindrical outer surface of the hair curler.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein each insulated housing portion includes a gripping portion adapted to both permit gripping of the hair curler clip and relatively unfolding of the pair of insulated housing portions to release the hair curler and the wrapped hair bundle from the hair curler clip.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the hair curler comprises a hollow tube.

9. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the heat storage member comprises an electrical heating element; and the apparatus comprises a recess adapted to receive one or more of the hair curler clips and in which is provided an electrical contact adapted to contact the electrical heating element to enable energisation and heating of the electrical heating element.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the electrical heating element is one of a fixed resistive heater and a PTC heater.

11. The combination of claim 5, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more metallic tubes, each metallic tube being heated by a heat source contained therein; and the heat storage member is adapted to engage with one of the metal tubes and be heated by conduction of heat from that metal tube.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein each heat source heats a tube associated with the heat source by one of radiant heating and conductive heating.

13. The combination of claim 5, wherein the apparatus comprises one or more non-metallic tubing having an induction coil contained therein; and the heat storage member is adapted to engage with one of the non-metallic tubular members and comprises a metallic member adapted to be heated by induction radiation from the induction coil.

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