EP2198735B1 - Hair styling device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a hair styling device with two hingedly arranged, pliers-like adjustable arms, each arm having a molded part, which cooperates with the molding of the other arm for the hair styling process, and wherein at least one molded part for heating inserted in the present between the mold parts Haarformspalt Hair is formed, wherein one of the two arms arranged a pressure measuring means for detecting the force exerted when closing the hair styling gap on the hair located between the mold parts or a pressure indicative value is assigned.

Such hair styling devices have as moldings, for example, over mold plates and then serve for straightening hair. In such a hair styling device with two in the manner of a pair of pliers articulated to each other arms each arm is associated with such a molding. In this case, the molded parts are arranged one another in such a way that the mutually facing sides of the same form a hair styling gap for receiving hair. At least one of the two mold plates is heated to assist the hair styling process. Such heating may be realized, for example, by using an electrical resistance heater which may be integrated into the mold plate. Likewise, hair styling devices of the type mentioned are known in which hot air is used for heating the at least one molded part. This is the case, for example, with aircraft operators. Accordingly, the molding of such a hair styling device on air outlet openings so that the air flowing through the arm of this molding air can be supplied directly to the hair.

In hair styling devices with mold plates as moldings for smoothing hair, the facing top sides are smooth, it is essential to achieve the desired hair results that closing the hair styling gap by closing the first to the hair inlet open arms and corresponding movement of the mold plates a uniform hair form pressure the hair inserted in the hair styling gap can be exerted. In order to counteract a deformation occurring in the course of the heating of the arm or of the mold plates, whereby the plane-parallel arrangement of the mutually facing smooth surfaces of the mold plates would be impaired, hair styling devices have been developed in which one of the two mold parts by use of one or more, is supported floating on an abutment spring elements. The floating suspension acting against the spring preload allows a parallel or plane-parallel arrangement of the mutually facing molding surfaces with closed hair styling gap, if under certain circumstances, a heat expansion-related change in the mold gap geometry has been established. With hair styling devices which have such a stored hair-shaped part, it is also possible to compensate for different thicknesses of hair strands inserted into the hair-styling gap.

In hair styling devices designed to straighten hair, applying a higher clamping force may be undesirable. This is the case, for example, in the case of fine hair, since the hair styling device is typically pulled outwards from the scalp to the hair ends starting with the hair inserted into the hair styling gap in order to carry out the smoothing process. On the other hand, in order to achieve a certain hair-setting result, it is necessary to exert a certain pressure on the hair to be formed over the molded parts. This also applies to moldings with which hair is to be curled.

In EP 1 958 531 A1 a hair styling device is disclosed in which hairs to be formed are pressed by a pressure plate to a surface of an ultrasonic horn. In order to prevent a user from being burned by accidentally touching the surface with a finger, it is proposed that the pressure applied to the pressure plate be measured, and that an ultrasonic oscillator connected to the ultrasonic horn be only supplied with electric power when the pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined pressure. With such a pressure, a finger clamped between the pressure plate and the ultrasonic horn will be withdrawn by the user.

According to FR 2 913 570 A1 For example, a hair styling device comprises two jaws, between which the hairs to be formed can be inserted, and which each comprise rollers which can rotate about a longitudinal axis of the jaws. The closing of the jaws can be detected by a sensor arranged at the outer end of one of the jaws.

Based on this discussed prior art, the invention is therefore the object of developing an aforementioned hair styling device such that its handling is improved in terms of the force exerted on the hair to be formed pressure in relation to the hair shape result.

This object is achieved by an aforementioned generic hair styling device, in which the hair styling device comprises a display device for indicating that a predetermined threshold of the detected pressure value is exceeded, and in which the display device, a visual display, an audio display and / or a haptic signal generating device.

This hair styling device has a pressure measuring device for detecting the pressure applied to the hair inserted in the hair styling gap by closing the two arms. Furthermore, a display device for displaying the detected pressure or pressure value is provided. Such a pressure measuring device can be designed mechanically working. The same applies to the display device, which then generates a haptic signal when a predetermined pressure is exceeded. Preferably, an electronic pressure sensor, for example a pressure measuring strip, whose output signal acts on an evaluation unit, will be used as the pressure measuring device. In the simplest case, the evaluation unit can be a comparator element for comparing the pressure measurement signal present on the input side with a threshold value. The threshold value is preferably adjustable in order to obtain a higher or lower threshold value depending on the nature of the hair to be formed and / or the desired hair shape result. If the threshold value is exceeded, the display device is triggered to indicate that the preset threshold value has been exceeded. Such a display device may be, for example, a visual display realized, for example, by LEDs, an audio display and / or a haptic signal-generating actuator, for example a vibration unit. In the control of the display device can be provided that this makes multiple pressure levels of the person using the hair styling device recognizable, such as by driving additional LEDs when exceeding further pressure thresholds. Likewise, if different pressure threshold values are exceeded, a vibration unit can be activated such that it vibrates in different intensities. Typically, one will provide such a display device which makes a user aware of the achievement of a certain pressure threshold, without this having to avert his gaze from the hair to be formed. Therefore, haptic actuators are particularly suitable for this purpose.

In a further development, it is provided that a first signal is output via the display device when a lower pressure threshold is exceeded and that a second signal is emitted when a further pressure threshold is exceeded. In this way, a print interval can be defined, with which the hair styling process should be carried out.

The pressure measuring device is arranged according to a preferred embodiment in an arm of the hair styling device such that it is supported on this a molded part with its back. For this purpose, the molded part has a support body arranged on its rear side, with which this molded part is held supported on an abutment with the interposition of a pressure measuring device preferably designed as a pressure measuring strip, wherein the supporting body is arranged so that the molded part can be moved in the manner of a rocker as a result of this support besieged. As a result of this preferably punctiform support not only a mobility of the molding is provided in the manner of a floating storage, but also a pressure detection is ensured due to the Einpunktabstützung, ultimately regardless of where the hair to be formed is located within the hairline nip. The support body is arranged to allow a rocking movement of the molding. Typically, the support body will be located approximately in the region of the center of the molding, with respect to its longitudinal extension in the longitudinal direction of the arm. This molding is in the permitted rocking amount, which is typically limited stroke, freely movable when on the upper mold side of the molding no system pressure by the another molding is applied. If the arms of this hair styling device are closed to close the hair styling gap, the two molded part surfaces bounding the hair styling gap are intended to abut on the basis of the above-described rocker mounting of one molded part. The support of the molding by means of the support body on the abutment is then the abutment for applying the desired clamping pressure is exploited in this hair styling device, the interaction of the two mold parts in hair styling process, to the effect that nestling of the tiltable arranged molding with its mold surface to the mold surface the other molding takes place in the course of closing the hair styling gap by correspondingly setting up the tiltable molding as a function of the orientation of the molding surface of the other molding. At the same time, detection of the closing pressure acting on the hair-shaped part is possible.

Depending on the configuration of the hair styling device, it can be provided that, when the hair styling gap is open, the tiltably arranged molded part has no clear spatial position, and is therefore not held in a starting position by the restoring force of spring elements. Nevertheless, such spring elements can be provided. If no spring elements are provided, only the one clamping pressure applied by a user to close the arms acts on the hair inserted into the hair-styling gap of this hair-styling device.

The tiltable molded part is expediently held captive on the arm on which it is arranged. For this purpose, the molded part can have guide extensions, integrally formed on one or both sides pointing in the direction of the wiping direction, which respectively engage in a recess provided on the arm side, for example a cage. The length of the recess in the direction of movement of the guide extension engaging therein then defines the rocking amount and also holds the molded part captive on the arm.

If a rocking movement of the tiltable molded part, which is designed, for example, as a mold plate, desired in several directions, it is preferable to provide a dome-like designed support body, which acts on the pressure measuring device.

Fig. 1:

Eine schematisierte, zum Teil geschnittene Seitenansicht des vorderen Abschnittes eines zum Glätten von Haar konzipierten Haarformgerätes mit Formplatten tragenden, geöffneten Armen und

Fig. 2:

eine Rückseitenansicht des Formteils des einen Arms des Haarformgerätes der Figur 1,

Fig. 3:

das Haarformgerät der Figur 1 mit geschlossenen Armen und

Fig. 4:

eine Darstellung entsprechend Figur 3 mit in den Haarformspalt zwischen den beiden Formteilen eingelegtem Haar.

The invention is described below by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1:

A schematic, partially sectioned side view of the front portion of a designed for straightening hair styling device with mold plates, open arms and

Fig. 2:

a rear view of the molding of the one arm of the hair styling device FIG. 1 .

3:

the hair styling device FIG. 1 with closed arms and

4:

a representation accordingly FIG. 3 with hair inserted into the hair styling gap between the two moldings.

An otherwise not shown in detail hair styling device 1 has two articulated arms 2, 3. The arms 2, 3 are about the axis formed by a pivot pin 4 pliers like to open and close the same adjustable as this in FIG. 1 indicated by the double arrows at the ends of the arms 2, 3. The hair styling device 1 is designed for straightening hair and has as moldings two mold plates 5, 6. The mold plates 5, 6 are heated in a manner not shown, for example by integration of a PTC heating element. The mutually facing surfaces 7 and 8 of the mold plates 5, 6 are flat and smooth in the illustrated embodiment. The two surfaces 7, 8 grasp a hair styling gap 9. This is how in FIG. 1 recognizable, opened. This position of the arms 2, 3 to one another serves to receive hair to be smoothed in the hair-styling nip 9.

The mold plate 5 is rigidly connected to the arm 2 in the illustrated embodiment. In contrast, the mold plate 6 is mounted relative to the arm 3 and its mold plate 6 in the manner of a rocker. For this purpose, a dome-shaped support body 11 is integrally formed on the back 10 of the mold plate 6. The support body 11 is supported by interposition a pressure sensor D in turn on the top of the form plate holder 12 of the arm 3 from. This represents with respect to the mold plate 6 and its support body 11 is an abutment W. Thus, the mold plate 6 acts on their support body 11 punctiform on the pressure sensor D when pressure is applied to the mold plate 6 in the direction of the abutment W out. The mold plate holder 12 also serves to limit a displacement movement of the mold plate 6 in the longitudinal and transverse to the arm 3. On the mold plate 6 are each formed on the transverse to the longitudinal extent of the arm 3 side surfaces a guide extension 13, 14. The guide extensions 13, 14 engage in a respective guide cage 15, 16, through which the rocking movement, as shown by the double arrow in FIG. 1 indicated in the longitudinal direction of the arm 3 is limited. At the same time the mold plate 6 is held captive on the arm 3 by the engagement of the guide extensions 13, 14 in the guide cages 15 and 16, respectively.

In the FIG. 2 shown plan view of the back 10 of the mold plate 6 shows the arrangement of the dome-like support body 11, which is located in the center of the back 10 of the mold plate 6. Due to its dome-like curve is in the in FIG. 1 illustrated embodiment, the mold plate 6 in different directions about the apex of the support body 11 due to the rolling movement of the same on the abutment W applied pressure sensor D teetering.

FIG. 3 shows the hair styling device 1 closed with respect to its hair styling gap 9. It can be clearly seen that the two mutually facing surfaces 7, 8 abut each other in parallel. From the in FIG. 1 shown position of the mold plate 6, this is in their in FIG. 3 shown position when closing the two arms 2, 3 brought by in the course of closing the mold plate 5 abuts with its rear, pointing to the pivot pin 4 end to the same end of the mold plate 6 and in the course of further closing by the closing movement of the mold plate 6 so far tilts that the two surfaces 7, 8, as in FIG. 3 shown, bordering each other. In this way, a compensation of a delay occurring, for example, in a warming can be compensated easily. Nevertheless, due to the shown support of the mold plate 6 and the arrangement of the pressure sensor D is a detection of on the mold plate 6 acting closing pressure possible.

Even if, as in FIG. 4 shown, a strand of hair is arranged unequally in the hairline nip 9, ensures the tiltable arrangement of the mold plate 6, that a uniform clamping pressure is exerted on the inserted hair in the hairline 9 hair, and this clamping pressure is due solely by acting on the arms 2, 3 closing force ,

The pressure sensor D is connected to an evaluation unit 18. Thus, the evaluation unit 18 is acted upon by the output signals of the pressure sensor D. The evaluation unit 18 comprises in the illustrated embodiment, a comparator circuit for comparing the supplied from the pressure measuring strip D input signal with a predetermined threshold. Connected to the evaluation unit 18 is a vibration unit 19 as the display unit. The vibration unit 19 is actuated when the pressure threshold value is exceeded, thus indicating to a user of the hair styling appliance 1 the achievement of a predetermined pressure acting on the hair styling gap 9 is brought to the attention. The threshold is set in this embodiment to indicate to a user the achievement of a hair styling pressure necessary for the desired straightening for a particular hair condition. The evaluation unit 18 is associated with an adjustment device, not shown, in the illustrated embodiment, via which the pressure threshold can be set. Depending on the nature of the hair to be formed this is set higher or lower. In order to achieve a certain hair shape result, it is necessary for certain hair to carry out the hair shaping process at a higher pressure than other hairs.

For the sake of simplicity, the electrical connections and the power supply for the pressure sensor D, the evaluation unit 18 and the vibration unit 19 are not shown.

Instead of a comparator circuit can be used as evaluation, for example, a microcontroller.

The invention is described by way of example with reference to the figures with reference to hair styling devices designed for straightening hair. Similarly, the described tiltable arrangement of the molding can also be transferred to other hair-styling devices or used for such moldings, which are used to form other hair shapes, such as curls and waves. Instead of the pressure sensor shown in the figure description as a pressure measuring device, a pressure detection via a displacement sensor can also be realized. In such an embodiment, a donor element operates against the force of a return spring, wherein the return spring is held supporting between the back of the molding and an abutment. The extent to which the spring is moved against its restoring force is a measure of the applied pressure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

The hair styling appliance

2

poor

3

poor

4

pivot pin

5

mold plate

6

mold plate

7

surface

8th

surface

9

Hair styling gap

10

back

11

support body

12

Mold plate recording

13

Guide extension

14

Guide extension

15

guide cage

16

guide cage

17

hair

18

evaluation

19

vibration unit

D

pressure sensor

W

abutment

Claims (9)

1. Hair styling device with two adjustable arms (2, 3) arranged in an articulated manner to each other, wherein each arm (2, 3) carries a shaped part (5, 6) that interacts with the shaped part (5, 6) of the other arm (2, 3) for the hair styling process, and wherein at least one shaped part (5, 6) is configured for the heating of hair inserted into a hair styling gap (9) located between the shaped parts (5, 6), wherein a pressure measuring device (D) is allocated to one of the two arms (3) in order to detect the pressure exerted on the hair (17) located between the formed parts (5, 6) when the hair styling gap is closed, characterised in that the hair styling device (1) comprises a display device (19) for displaying that a predetermined threshold value has been exceeded by the pressure value detected, and that the display device (19) is producing a visual display, an audio display, and/or a haptic signal.
2. Hair styling device according to claim 1, characterised in that the pressure measuring device is configured as a pressure sensor (D), on which a shaped part (6) is supported.
3. Hair styling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the output signal of the pressure measuring device (D) is supplied to an evaluation unit (18), by means of which the display device (19) is actuated.
4. Hair styling device according to claim 3, characterised in that the evaluation unit (18) comprises a comparator for comparing the measured signal from the pressure measuring device (D) with a preferably adjustable threshold value.
5. Hair styling device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the shaped part (6) is provided with a support body (11), arranged on its rear side (10), with which this shaped part (6), with the intermediate insertion of the pressure measuring strip, is held supported at an abutment element (W), wherein the support body (11) is arranged such that the shaped part (6), as a result of this support, is mounted such that it is movable in the manner of a rocker.
6. Hair styling device according to claim 5, characterised in that the support body (11), relative to the longitudinal direction of the arm (3), is located in the region of the middle of the shaped part (6).
7. Hair styling device according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the support body (11) is configured in the manner of a dome, such that a rocker effect of the shaped part (6) is possible in different directions.
8. Hair styling device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the shaped part (6) mounted in the form of a rocker is provided with lateral shaped guide extension pieces (13, 14) for delimiting the pivot movements in at least one rocker movement direction.
9. Hair styling device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the hair shaping parts are shaping plates (5, 6) for the smoothing of hair.

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