EP1733642B1 - Hair styling appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The appliance has a grip part (12), a shaped part (2) and a heating element (1) for warming up hair, insertable between the heating element and the shaped part. The heating element and the shaped part, in an open position are trained on the hair, moving into a closed position. In the closed position pressure is produced. Control agents (6) are provided for adjusting the pressure strength.

Description

The present invention relates to a hair styling device with a handpiece and a mold rod connected to the handpiece.

State of the art

Hair styling devices with a forming rod for shaping, in particular smoothing, curling or waves of the hair, wherein the hair can be inserted between a heating part for heating the hair and a molded part, are known in the prior art. For example, the EP 1 030 571 B1 Such a hair styling device, wherein the hair for heating between a heating element and a molded part can be inserted. The heating part and the molding are in this case arranged pivotably, so that heating and molding in an open and a closed position can be transferred. For example, the heating and molding are scissor-shaped against each other.

For straightening a strand of hair this can be inserted, for example, between the heating part and the molded part. When the heating part and the molded part finally assume their closed position, so the hair strand is pressed with a pressing force to the heating element for heating. This pressure depends in particular on the geometry and the mutual arrangement of heating and molding as well as the thickness of the inserted strand of hair. If the hair styling device is used for smoothing an inserted strand of hair, then the hair styling device is moved from the point of application of the hair strand on the scalp toward the tip of the hair. The strand of hair is pulled through, so to speak, through the clamping region of the hair styling device formed by the heating and molding part. The tensile force acting on the hair strand here depends essentially on the pressure force of the heating or molding on the inserted strand of hair and on the speed of pulling through the strand of hair.

That in the EP 1 030 571 B1 disclosed hair styling device has a pressure part, which is resiliently held on the hair styling device. The pressure part is in this case arranged between the heating part and a holding part and allows the pressing force is independent of the holding part. In particular, in the case of a pivotable holding part, this achieves that the hair to be pressed are pressed uniformly by the pressure member, regardless of their distance from the pivot axis.

The pressure part is in this case, for example, mounted resiliently, so that when inserted hairs a spring compressed and thus the pressure part is moved. In this case, the pressing force is dependent on the spring constant of the spring and can be influenced, for example, by a corresponding deformability of the pressure part itself or by a corresponding spring constant of the spring bearing the pressure part. This hair styling device thus enables a uniform pressing of the hair with a predetermined pressure force.

The Belgian Patent 1,519,930 discloses a hair care device having two arms for treating the hair. These arms are mounted in a housing, which in turn has a slot which is to ensure a certain mobility of the arms relative to each other. Also attached to the housing is a lever which acts on an arm and allows this arm to be transferred from a first (rather open) position to a second, closed position.

The US Patent 6,191,387 discloses a hair care device with two resilient and mutually movably mounted arms. Depending on the type of handling of the device, the two arms can be moved towards each other in parallel or at an angle.

problem

Since the pressing force does not depend solely on the geometry of the heating or molding or the spring constant of a printing part but also to a great extent on the properties of the inserted hair, a predetermined by the hair styling device pressing force is different in terms of different hair properties of different users disadvantageous. If a user of the hair styling device, for example, very full and dense or thick hair, it will feel a relatively high pulling force on said strand of hair when pulling through an inserted between heating and molding hair strand, which can sometimes be quite painful.

In the reverse case, a user with relatively light or thin hair will feel a barely noticeable pulling force on an inserted strand of hair. This in turn is an indication that a relatively low pressure force is exerted on the hair strand and thus the heating of the hair strand is not optimal.

In previously known hair styling devices, the user usually has no way to adapt the force exerted on an inserted strand of hair pressure force his individual needs.

The invention is based on the object to provide an improved hair styling device of the type mentioned, which allows a user-specific adjustment of the pressing force.

Invention and advantageous effects

According to the invention the object is achieved with a hair styling device according to claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The hair styling device according to the invention has a handle part, a molded part and a heating part for heating the hair. The hair or a strand of hair in this case can be inserted between the heating part and the molded part, with the molded part and the heating part being movably mounted between an open and a closed position. Particularly in the closed position, the heating part and the molded part come into abutment against each other and are designed to generate a pressing force on the inserted strand of hair. Furthermore, adjusting means are provided for adjusting the pressing force on the inserted hair. For this purpose, the adjusting means act on the heating element or the molded part in order to change the pressing force to a strand of hair inserted between the heating element and the molded part.

The heating part and / or the molded part arranged by means of a resilient mounting on a holding part, and the adjusting means are designed to act on this resilient mount. With the help of the resilient mounting on a holding part can be realized, for example, that in particular over the entire length of the molding or the heating element, a uniform pressure on the inserted hair is exercised. The resilient mount may be formed for example by a compression or coil spring, a leaf spring or a similar rubber or spring-elastic element. For example, the molding can be fixed by means of a compression spring on the holding part, and the adjusting means can act, for example, on the suspension of the compression spring on the holding part such that it can be relaxed or tensioned by means of the adjusting means. Accordingly, the hot, inside the device (ie, for example, on one of the two inner pliers) arranged molding, which is designed for example as a directly heated or unheated Flattening and directly in hair contact for smoothing can be brought over the device outside in the pressing force against the opposite molding variably adjustable inside the device. For this purpose, the arranged on the device outside adjusting means is in particular resiliently connected to the molding, so that a manual pressure on the adjusting means to increase the pressing force of the molding leads against the strand of hair and the opposite molding.

Advantageously, this allows the user to adapt the pressure force on a hair strand inserted between the heating part and the molded part according to his needs individually. In particular, when the hair styling device is used to straighten hair, thus, the pulling force applied to the hair during the smoothing process can be individually adjusted according to the preferences and needs of the user.

Furthermore, it can be acted upon by the adjustability of the pressing force on the heating of the inserted hair. Thus, for example, by a small pressure force an equally low tensile force on an inserted strand of hair in the smoothing process can be selected, which allows the user to perform an inserted strand of hair with higher speed and thus a lower and at the same time gentle heat input into the inserted strand of hair.

Furthermore, it is provided for the invention that the adjusting means are designed for actuation during operation of the hair styling device. Among other things, this allows the user to react individually to spontaneous tensile forces during a smoothing procedure. For example, if a strand of hair tapers towards its tips, the pressure force is subject to a constant reduction in the passage of a strand of hair between the heating element and the molded part. However, as in the prior art, if the user applies a constant tensile force to a strand of hair, then a changing speed and thus an inhomogeneous heat treatment of a strand of hair as it passes through the hair-styling device arise immediately. By contrast, the adjusting means according to the invention gives the user the possibility of variably changing the pressure force during application or when pulling through, so that, for example, in the case of a smoothing procedure, a uniform tensile force or pressure force can also be exerted on a tapered strand of hair.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the adjusting means are designed to increase the pressing force during the duration of an operation by the user. As a result, the user or user can initiate a higher pressing force on an inserted strand of hair starting from a preset pressure force by pressing the adjusting means briefly. After a short actuation of the actuating means, the pressing force then returns to its preset value.

In particular, this implementation allows easy handling by, for example, depressing the adjusting means against a spring force. As a result, it is achieved, in particular, that the user briefly has an increased pressure force and an associated pressure short-term higher heating of a certain point of a strand of hair can cause.

Likewise, the adjusting means can be designed latching in various settings. This allows, for example, to permanently change a preset contact pressure on hairs inserted between the heating element and the molded part. Such an embodiment is particularly suitable for users who have particularly dense or particularly thin hair and for which therefore a user-specific adjustment of the pressure force is expedient. Instead of a latching in different positions, the adjusting means may also be formed, for example, in the form of non-latching, but remaining in a set actuating position adjusting means. For example, the adjusting means can be configured as a sliding or rotating element.

Furthermore, it is provided for the invention that the resilient mounting on which the heating or molding is held, is designed for suspending an actuating means. The resilient mount, which can be realized for example by a pressure or coil spring is thus arranged with one end to the actuating means and with its other end on the heating or molding. The adjusting means are thus designed to act directly on the resilient mounting of the heating or molding. By actuating the adjusting means can thus be biased, for example, to apply an increased pressure force, the resilient mounting of the heating or molding.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the travel of the actuating means is limited by at least one stop. This ensures in particular that a preset pressure force is not changed by means of the actuating means beyond a certain extent. In particular, it can thereby be achieved that a maximum pressure force can not be exceeded even by actuating the adjusting means and thus any damage or overstressing of the hair is avoided.

Furthermore, the invention provides that the resilient mount is formed by at least one spring element between the holding part and the heating part. In the same way, the spring-elastic holder can also be formed by at least one spring element between the holding part and the molded part. Accordingly, either the heating part or the molded part can be resiliently mounted on the holding part. Alternatively, even both, the form and the heating part can be suspended resiliently on the holding part. This elastic Suspension on the holding part allows the most uniform possible pressing of the hair along the heating or molding.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the adjusting means are operable from an outer wall of the holding part facing away from the shaped part or heating part. This allows in particular an actuation of the adjusting means in the closed position, that is, when the molded part and the heating part are in abutment against each other. This is especially for the operation of the actuating means during the application of the hair styling device of advantage and ensures a good and catchy handling by the user.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the adjusting means on a running in the interior of the holding part adjustment. In this embodiment, the adjusting means are preferably against a resilient element, such as against the spring element of the resilient mount operable. The adjusting means itself can in this case be integrated flush in the outer wall of the holding part, which contributes to the improvement of the overall visual impression of the hair styling device.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjusting means cooperate with a pivotable about a pivot axis lever for adjusting the pressing force. This ensures that the applied force for adjusting the pressing force on the actuating means can be significantly lower than the pressure force itself. In particular, when the lever is mechanically coupled directly to the spring-mounted mold or heating part, the force to be applied to the holding means can be significantly reduced in terms of pressure force.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the molding and the heating part is arranged on two verschenkbaren between an opening and a locking position holding parts. These two, pivotable about a pivot axis holding parts typically form a scissor-type arrangement. The two holding parts thus form two legs which can be brought into abutment against each other, between which the hairs to be formed can be inserted for the purpose of heating.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the molded part is designed to be heatable. Hereby, for example, an inserted strand of hair can be heated equally not only on one side of the heating part but on both sides of the heating and molding. Both heating part as well as the molding can be brought here by means of an electric or gas-powered heater to the required temperature. The heating and the molded part can in this case be formed substantially identical, for adjusting the pressing force finally the action of the adjusting means on the molding or the heating part is sufficient.

Furthermore, it can be provided according to the invention that the adjusting means are arranged on the pivot axis of the opposite free end of the holding part. Since the gripping part of the hair styling device is typically located at the other end of the holding part, this implementation of the adjusting means allows a two-handed operation of the hair styling device. The user can thus comprise with one hand the handle part and act with the remaining hand depending on the existing circumstances during use of the hair styling device on the adjusting means at will.

Embodiment (s)

Other objects, advantages, other objects, advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. All described and / or illustrated features alone or in any meaningful combination form the subject matter of the present invention, also independent of their summary in the claims or their dependency.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer ersten Ausführungsform des Haarformgerätes,

Figur 2

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform des Haarformgerätes und

Figur 3

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung einer dritten Ausführungsform des Haarformgerätes.

Show it:

FIG. 1

a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the hair styling device,

FIG. 2

a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the hair styling device and

FIG. 3

a schematic cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the hair styling device.

This in FIG. 1 Hair styling device shown schematically in cross section has a handle part 12 and a heating part 1 connected thereto. The heating part 1 can be operated electrically or gas be heated. It is designed as an elongated heating element with a typically substantially circular, but at least laterally rounded cross-section. The heating part 1 opposite a holding part 7 is arranged, which is connected by means of an actuating lever 3 about a pivot axis 9 with the heating part 1 and with the handle part 12. The actuating lever 3 is in this case actuated against a compression spring 11, so that the holding part 7 together with the opposite heating part 1 has a scissor-shaped geometry.

In the closed position, the holding part 7 is with a left and right stop 8 with the heating part 1 in Appendix. In addition, a stop 13 of the actuating lever 3 with a counter-stop 14 of the handle part 12 in abutment.

By operating the operating lever 3 go holding part 7 and heating part 1 in an open position, in which the hair between the heating part 7 arranged on the molded part 2 and the heating element 1 can be inserted. After inserting hair goes, due to the force exerted by the spring 11 force, the holding part 7 in its closed position, in which the molding 2 and the heating part 1 exert a pressing force on the inserted hair.

With the aid of a spring element 4, the molded part 2 is resiliently arranged on a lever 5, which in turn can be moved by actuation of an adjusting element 6 about the pivot axis 9. A depression of the actuating element 6 has a direct effect on the deflection of the spring element 4, whereby the force exerted between the molding 2 and the heating part 1 pressure force is directly influenced. If the spring element 4 is designed, for example, as a compression spring, depression of the actuating element 6 causes an increase in the pressure force on the hair inserted between the molded part 2 and the heating part 1.

In this way, a user of the hair styling device can change individually by pressing the adjusting element 6, the pressure acting on the hair pressure force. The adjusting element 6 can in this case be designed, for example, as a push button, as a set screw or rotary knob or as a slider or the like. In addition, the adjusting element 6 can be realized as an adjusting element engaging in different setting positions or as an element springing back into an initial position. This allows either a permanent or a temporary, only during actuation by the user given adjustment of the pressing force.

By the stop 10 of the adjustment of the control element 6 is limited, so that a maximum pressing force can not be exceeded.

The spring-elastic suspension of the molded part 2 on the lever 5 also allows the pressing force to be applied uniformly and substantially independently of the position of the hair along the forming or heating part 1. In particular, the lever 5 makes it possible for a force to be applied by the user to change the pressing force on the adjusting element 6 to be significantly less than the pressing force itself. This is accompanied by a larger displacement for the adjusting element 6, which allows a more precise control or fine adjustment of the pressing force.

The hair styling device is particularly suitable for straightening hair and provides the user with the adjustable pressure force the opportunity to customize a perceived as a pulling force of a strand of hair through the hair styling device to the given hair structure and especially to the thickness of the hair individually for each user. In addition, this adjustment of the pressure force allows a change in the operating speed or speed, which, for example, a slower and controlled smoothing straightened hair for each hair type or hair thickness can be achieved.

By an increased pressure force, in particular the temperature introduction into the hair and thus a smoothing or other deformation of the hair can be improved. Above all, however, in users with fine, thin or heavily damaged hair, the pressure force to reduce the pulling power can be reduced to counteract a possible risk of breakage of the hair.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of another embodiment of the force acting on the pressing force adjusting means. The actuating lever 3, the spring 11, the handle part 12 and the heating part 1 are here similar to the one in FIG FIG. 1 illustrated illustration configured. However, in this case the adjusting element 6 acts directly on the molded part 2 via the two spring elements 4. The adjusting element 6 is here preferably designed as a broad button in the longitudinal direction on the upper side of the holding part 7. By depressing the actuating element 6, the pressure force between the molded part 2 and the heating part 1 is changed directly here.

Similar to in FIG. 1 also has the in FIG. 2 illustrated embodiment of a stop 10, which represents a limit to the adjustment of the control element 6. Similar as in FIG. 1 Here, too, the operating lever 3 serves to open the scissor-type arrangement formed by the holding part 7 and the heating part 1.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment in which the hair styling device is formed pliers or clamps. The heating part 1 and the molded part 2 are here arranged substantially symmetrically on two opposite and substantially symmetrically formed holding parts 7, which are connected to each other via the pivot axis 9. The two holding parts 7 form, as it were, two opposite limbs of a clamp which can be compressed in the region of their actuating levers by the user. In such a compressed closing position, the heating part 1 and the oppositely arranged molded part 2 are arranged substantially parallel to one another in abutment. The two stops 8 in this case prevent that by pressing the two actuating lever 3 between the heating part 1 and molded part 2 in the closed state prevailing pressure force is changed. However, this can be increased by actuating the adjusting element 6, in particular by depressing it. Again, the actuator 6 is actuated against a stop 10, which ensures that a maximum contact pressure can not be exceeded.

The predominantly symmetrical configuration of the hair styling device makes it possible, in particular, for both the heating part 1 and the molded part 2 to be substantially identical, so that, for example, the molded part 2 can also be heated and thus the temperature can be applied to inserted hair on both sides.

Claims (14)

1. A hair styling appliance with a handle portion (12), a styling portion (2) and a heating portion (1) for heating the hair, which may be positioned between the heating portion (1) and the styling portion (2), wherein the heating portion (1) and the styling portion (2) may be moved from an opened to a closed position and, in this position, are configured to generate a pressure force on the hair, wherein adjusting means (6) for adjusting the pressure force are provided, characterized in that the heating portion (1) and/or the styling portion (2) are arranged by means of a spring-elastic mounting on a support portion (7) and the adjusting means (6) are designed to affect the spring-elastic mount.
2. The hair styling appliance according to Claim 1, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) are designed for actuation during operation of the hair styling appliance.
3. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) are designed to increase the pressure force during the duration of an actuation by the user.
4. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) are designed in such a way that they engage in various positions.
5. Hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spring-elastic mount is designed to suspend on the adjusting means (6).
6. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a regulating distance of the adjusting means (6) is limited by at least one stop (10).
7. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spring-elastic support is formed by at least one spring portion (4) between the support portion (7) and the heating portion (1) and/or by at least one spring portion (4) between the support portion (7) and the styling portion (2).
8. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the adjusting means may be actuated via an outer wall of the support portion (7) which faces away from the styling portion (2) or, respectively, the heating portion (1).
9. Hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) have an adjustment distance which extends in the inner area of the support portion (7).
10. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) interact with a lever (5) which may be pivoted about a pivot axis (9) to adjust the pressure force.
11. The hair styling appliance according to Claim 10, characterized in that the spring portion (4) is arranged between the lever (5) and the styling portion (2) or, respectively, the heating portion (1).
12. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the styling portion (2) and the heating portion (1) are arranged at two support portions (7) which may be pivoted between an open and a closed position about the pivot axis (9).
13. Hair styling portion according to one or many of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the styling portion (2) may be heated.
14. The hair styling appliance according to one or many of Claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the adjusting means (6) are arranged at the free end of the support portion (7) which is situated opposite the pivot axis (9).

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