EP2332436A1

EP2332436A1 - Hair iron

Info

Publication number: EP2332436A1
Application number: EP10189915A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hidetoshi Nakasone; Naoki Yamasaki
Original assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
Priority date: 2009-11-04
Filing date: 2010-11-04
Publication date: 2011-06-15
Also published as: RU2010145134A; CN102048340A; JP2011098001A

Abstract

A hair iron includes an upper first clip portion (2A) having an upper first hair clip surface (4A), and a lower second clip portion (2B) having a lower second hair clip surface (4B). In this hair iron, when the hair clip surfaces (4A and 4B) are brought into contact with each other IN A STATE OF NOT CLIPPING HAIR (H) THEREBETWEEN, space portions (6) are formed between these upper and lower hair clip surfaces (4A and 4B).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application P2009-253291 filed on November 4,2009 ; the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hair iron.
Heretofore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-32831 (published in 1999), a hair iron has been known, which includes clip portions (pressing portions) having a pair of hair clip surfaces (replacement members) arranged opposite to each other, in which wavy portions are provided on the pair of hair clip surfaces along a width direction thereof, and hair is clipped between the wavy portions, whereby the hair is taken care of.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, the above-described conventional hair iron has a configuration in which the wavy portions of the pair of hair clip surfaces are fitted to each other and meshed with each other. In such a configuration, at the time of sliding the clipped hair along the width direction of the clip portions, pressing force to clip the hair is large. Accordingly, it has been apprehended that the hair may be damaged as a result of application of friction force more than necessary to surfaces of the hair.
In this connection, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hair iron capable of finishing the hair straight while making it possible to suppress such damage done to the hair.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, a hair iron is provided, which include a first clip portion having a first hair clip surface, and a second clip portion having a second hair clip surface, and clips hair between the first hair clip surface and the second hair clip surface, wherein, when a pair of the first and second hair clip surfaces are brought into contact with each other in a state of not clipping the hair therebetween, space portions are formed therebetween.
In accordance with the present invention, when the first hair clip surfaces and the second hair clip surfaces are brought into contact with each other in the state of not clipping the hair therebetween, the space portions are formed therebetween. Therefore, pressing force to clip the hair is lowered, thus making it possible to slide the hair by appropriate friction force along a width direction of the clip portions. In such a way, damage to be done to the hair can be suppressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hair iron according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hair iron according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of hair clip surfaces of the hair iron according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a view showing a modification example of the hair clip surfaces according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where one of the hair clip surfaces according to the embodiment of the present invention is coated with a photocatalyst.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state where photocatalyst particles are contained in one of the hair clip surfaces according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description is made below in detail of embodiments of the present invention while referring to the drawings. Note that, in the following description, an up-and-down direction is defined by taking, as a reference, a hair iron in a state where a first hair clip surface and a second hair clip surface are allowed to abut against each other and the second hair clip surface faces upward. Moreover, the description is made on the premise that a clip portion side of the hair iron is located forward, and that a grip portion side thereof is located rearward.
Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 are views showing an embodiment of a hair iron according to the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a hair iron 10 of this embodiment is composed of a pair of arms 1, in each of which a clip portion 2 is arranged on a tip end side of the hair iron 10 concerned, and a grip portion 3 is arranged on a base end side thereof. Here, each of the clip portions 2 has a hair clip surface 4 that clips hair, and the grip portion 3 is gripped by a user.
Specifically, the pair of arms 1 include: an upper arm 1A in which an upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A and an upper grip portion 3A are integrated with each other; and a lower arm 1B in which a lower clip portion (second clip portion) 2B and a lower grip portion 3B are integrated with each other.
Then, in this embodiment, a base end portion of the upper arm 1A and a base portion of the lower arm 1B are freely rotatably coupled to each other while interposing a rotational coupling portion 11 therebetween. Specifically, the pair of arms 1 are made freely rotatable between an expansion position where the upper clip portion 2A and the lower clip portion 2B are separated from each other to form a substantially V-shape and a clip position where the upper clip portion 2A and the lower clip portion 2B contact each other to form a straight line shape.
Moreover, the upper clip portion 2A and the lower clip portion 2B include an upper hair clip surface (first hair clip surface) 4A and a lower hair clip surface (second hair clip surface) 4B, respectively, which are capable of abutting against each other at the time when the upper arm 1A and the lower arm 1B are rotated to close.
Note that, in this embodiment, a width direction of the clip portions 2 corresponds to an extended direction of hair H in a state where the hair H is clipped between the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B. Moreover, a longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2 corresponds to a direction intersecting the extended direction of the hair H.
The above-mentioned upper and lower arms 1A and 1B include cases 21 and 22 which form outer walls thereof, respectively, and a variety of electric components are housed in cavities formed in insides of these case 21 and case 22.
Moreover, on widthwise side surface portions of the case 21 and the case 22, projections 25 and projections 26, which serve as heat radiation portions extended in a longitudinal direction of the cases 21 and 22 concerned, are provided. In this embodiment, two projections 25 and two projections 26 are provided on both widthwise side portions of the case 21 and the case 22, respectively, and are extended so as to have substantially the same length as a longitudinal length of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B when viewed from side.
As described above, the projections 25 and the projections 26, which are extended in the longitudinal direction, are provided on the case 21 and the case 22, whereby, at the time of using the hair iron 10, contact areas between the cases 21 and 22 concerned and a scalp and skin of a user can be reduced. Moreover, the projections 25 and 26, which are extended in the longitudinal direction, are provided, whereby surfaces areas of the case 21 and the case 22 are increased, and accordingly, heat can be radiated therefrom efficiently.
Moreover, in this embodiment, surfaces of the case (clip portion main body) 21 and the case (clip portion main body) 22, which are opposite to each other, are allowed to support thereon a hair clip member 15 having the upper hair clip surface 4A and a hair clip member 16 having the lower hair clip surface 4B, whereby the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A and the lower clip portion (second clip portion) 2B are formed.
Specifically, the hair clip member 15 and the hair clip member 16 include a plate portion 15a and a plate portion 16a, each of which has a substantially thin plate shape. On surfaces of the plate portion 15a and the plate portion 16a, the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B are formed. Note that, preferably, the plate portion 15a and the plate portions 16a are formed, for example, of a material such as copper and aluminum, which has high electric conductivity, thus making it easy to transmit heat to the hair H.
Then, heaters 13 (13A, 13B) are arranged on back surfaces of the plate portion 15a and the plate portion 16a in an abutting manner, respectively. In this embodiment, positive temperature coefficient heaters (PTC heaters) are used as the heaters 13, whereby it becomes possible to continuously control temperature of the heaters 13. Note that, though the PTC heaters are illustrated as the heaters 13 in this embodiment, Nichrome wire heaters and other heating means may be used without being limited to the PTC heaters. Moreover, a configuration may be adopted, in which one of the heaters (heat generating portions) 13 is provided only on either one of the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A and the lower clip portion (second clip portion) 2B.
Moreover, in the inside of the case 21, a control circuit 14 that controls the temperature of the heaters 13, and the like is housed, and the heaters 13 are electrically connected to this control circuit 14. Furthermore, in this embodiment, temperature of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B is adapted to be settable step by step.
On the upper grip portion 3A side of the case 21, an operation switch 7 is provided. ON/OFF of energization to the heaters 13 can be switched by operating this operation switch 7. When the heaters 13 are energized by operating the operation switch 7, the heaters 13 concerned generate heat, and the heat is transmitted to the plate portion 15a and the plate portion 16a from the respective heaters 13 which have generated the heat, whereby the upper hair clip surface 4A of the plate portion 15a and the lower hair clip surface 4B of the plate portion 16a are heated.
Moreover, on the upper grip portion 3A side of the case 21, two temperature adjustment switches 8 are provided, and the set temperature of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B are adapted to be switchable by operating the two temperature adjustment switches 8. In this embodiment, the temperature adjustment switches 8, which are made capable of switching the set temperature to five stages, are illustrated. Moreover, on the case 21, five lighting portions 8a are provided by using LED lamps. For example, one of the lighting portions 8a, which corresponds to each of the stages, is lighted, whereby it is made possible to recognize the present set temperature. Note that, though not shown in Fig. 1, a power supply cord 9 is connected to one of end portions (right end portions in Fig. 1) of the grip portions 3.
Hence, a bundle of the hair H is clipped between the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B, whereby the hair H thus clipped is warmed between the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B. Then, the hair iron 10 is pulled down toward tips of the hair H while being slid along the hair H, whereby straight styling can be given to the hair H.
Here, in this embodiment, when the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B are brought into contact with each other in a state of not clipping the hair H between the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B concerned, space portions 6 are formed therebetween.
Specifically, in this embodiment, on the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B, a plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 (refer to Fig. 1) , which have the same shape thereamong and are extended along the width direction of the clip portions 2, are provided. Moreover, in this embodiment, recessed portions 5a of the protruding/recessed portions 5 are recessed into a semicircular shape, and tip ends of protruding portions 5b of the protruding/recessed portions 5 are formed into a flat shape.
In such a configuration, as shown in Fig. 3, when the recessed portions 5a of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the protruding portions 5b of the lower hair clip surface 4B are brought into contact with each other, and the protruding portions 5b of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the recessed portions 5a of the lower hair clip surface 4B are brought into contact with each other, the space portions 6 are formed between the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B. Then, the space portions 6 are open to both widthwise sides of the clip portions 2 in the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B.
As described above, the space portions 6 are formed between the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B, whereby pressing force to clip the hair H is lowered, thus making it possible to slide the hair H by appropriate friction force. In such a way, damage to be done to the hair H can be suppressed.
Note that, in this embodiment, it is preferable to make design so that a dimension of the space portions 6 to be formed when the protruding portions 5b of one of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B enter the recessed portions 5a of the other thereof can range approximately from 0.05 millimeters to 0.5 millimeters. Reasons for this are as follows. Since a general diameter of the hair H is 0.05 millimeters or more, the pressing force to clip the hair H is strengthened when the dimension of the space portions 6 is set at less than 0.05 millimeters. On the contrary, when the dimension of the space portions 6 is set too large, effective pressing force cannot be applied to the hair H, and the straight styling cannot be given to the hair H.
Moreover, at least the lower hair clip surface (second hair clip surface) 4B as one of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B is supported so as to be freely movable relative to the case (clip portion main body) 22.
Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, in the inside of the case 22, four float springs 12 are arranged at positions corresponding to four corners of the hair clip member 16, and the plate portion 16a of the hair clip member 16 is supported so as to be movable reciprocally up and down while interposing the float springs 12 between the plate portion 16a concerned and the lower hair clip surface 4B. In other words, in this embodiment, the lower hair clip surface 4B is supported so as to be movable up and down with respect to the case 22 by using urging force of the float springs 12.
In such a configuration, when the hair H is clipped between the upper hair clip surface 4A and the lower hair clip surface 4B, the lower hair clip surface 4B relatively moves in response to an amount of the clipped hair H while enhancing adherence of the hair H onto the upper hair clip surface 4A side on which the protruding/recessed portions 5 are formed. In such a way, the straight styling can be effectively given to the hair H while suppressing the damage to be done to the hair H to the minimum.
Note that, in this embodiment, the four corners of the hair clip member 16 are supported by the float springs 12, and it is possible to appropriately set the positions of the float springs 12 and the number thereof to be arranged. Moreover, it is preferable that an up-and-down movable range of the hair clip member 16 be set so as to range approximately from 0 to 3 millimeters. Reasons for this are as follows. When a movement amount of the hair clip member 16 becomes 3 millimeters or more, a load to be applied to the clipped hair H and the friction force to be generated at the time of pulling down the hair H are increased, and it becomes difficult to slide the hair iron 10 smoothly along the hair H.
Moreover, as shown in Fig. 1, on both widthwise ends of the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A, a plurality of guide protrusions 24 are provided, which are formed along the longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2, and guide the hair H along the width direction of the clip portions 2.
In this embodiment, on each of widthwise outsides of the upper hair clip surface 4A, which correspond to the vicinities of long sides thereof, eight pieces of the guide protrusions 24 are arranged at an equal interval. In such a way, at the time of clipping the hair H between the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B, followed by sliding, the hair H can be suppressed from spreading in the longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2.
As described above in detail, the hair iron 10 of this embodiment includes: the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A having the upper hair clip surface (first hair clip surface) 4A; and the lower clip portion (second clip portion) 2B having the lower hair clip surface (second hair clip surface) 4B. Moreover, in the hair iron 10, when the hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B are brought into contact with each other in the state of not clipping the hair H therebetween, the space portions 6 are formed therebetween. Therefore, the pressing force to clip the hair H is lowered, thus making it possible to slide the hair H by the appropriate friction force along the width direction of the clip portions 2. In such a way, the damage to be done to the hair H can be suppressed.
Moreover, the space portions 6 are provided between the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B as described above, whereby a degree of freedom of the hair H to be clipped therebetween can be ensured appropriately. Accordingly, an effect of arranging a flow of the hair H can be further enhanced.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 are provided on the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B, and the semicircular recessed portions 5a of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the protruding portions 5b of the lower hair clip surfaces 4B, in which the tip ends are formed into the flat shape, are brought into contact with each other, whereby the space portions 6 are formed. Therefore, in comparison with a configuration in which the protruding/recessed portions are provided only on either one of the hair clip surfaces, surface areas of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B can be increased. As described above, the surface areas of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B are increased, thus making it possible to increase a supply range of thermal energy to be given to the hair. In such a way, the straight styling can be effectively given to the hair.
Note that, in this embodiment, the plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 are provided on the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B, whereby the space portions 6 are formed; however, the plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 may be provided only on the upper hair clip surface 4A as one of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B. Then, it becomes possible to form the space portions 6 by a simple configuration in which the lower hair clip surface 4B is a flat surface.
Moreover, the recessed portions 5a and protruding portions 5b of the plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 are individually extended along the width direction of the clip portions 2, and accordingly, even if the hair H that inclines or becomes perpendicular with respect to the width direction concerned is clipped between the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B, the flow of the hair H can be arranged.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the space portions 6 formed of the plurality of protruding/recessed portions 5 are open to the both widthwise sides of the clip portions 2 in the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B, and accordingly, the straight styling can be given to the hair H with ease by sliding the clip portions 2 along the width direction.
Still further, in this embodiment, at least the lower hair clip surface (second hair clip surface) 4B as one of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B is supported so as to be freely movable relative to the case (clip portion main body) 22. Therefore, the lower hair clip surface 4B relatively moves in response to the amount of the clipped hair H while enhancing the adherence of the hair H onto the upper hair clip surface (first hair clip surface) 4A side on which the protruding/recessed portions 5 are formed, whereby the straight styling can be effectively given to the hair H while suppressing the damage to be done to the hair H to the minimum.
Moreover, in this embodiment, on one widthwise end of at least the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A as one of the upper and lower clip portions 2A and 2B, the plurality of guide protrusions 24 are provided, which are formed along the longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2, and guide the hair H along the width direction of the clip portions 2. Therefore, at the time of sliding the clipped hair H along the width direction of the clip portions 2, the hair H can be suppressed from spreading in the longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2.
In particular, in this embodiment, the guide protrusions 24 for arranging the flow of the hair H are provided on the upper clip portion (first clip portion) 2A on a fixed side (side where the hair clip surface does not move) in which, in comparison with the case where the hair clip surface moves, the adherence is higher, and the effect of arranging the flow of the hair H can be strongly exerted. In such a way, the effect of arranging the flow of the hair H can be further enhanced.
Moreover, in accordance with this embodiment, the projections (heat radiation portions) 25 and 26 are provided on widthwise side surfaces of the upper and lower clip portions 2A and 2B, and accordingly, at the time of using the hair iron 10, contact areas between the clip portions 2 and the scalp and skin of the user can be reduced.
Still further, in this embodiment, the heat radiation portions are the plurality of projections 25 and 26 provided, so as to be extended in the longitudinal direction of the clip portions 2, on at least one-side side surfaces in the width direction of the upper and lower clip portions 2A and 2B. Accordingly, surface areas of the clip portions 2 are increased, thus making it possible to efficiently radiate the heat.
The description has been made above of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; however, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and is modifiable in various ways within the scope without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the recessed portions 5a of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the protruding portions 5b of the lower hair clip surface 4B are brought into contact with each other, whereby the space portions 6 are formed; however, as in a modification example shown in Fig. 4, the protruding portions 5b of the upper hair clip surface 4A and the protruding portions 5b of the lower hair clip surface 4B are brought into contact with each other, whereby the space portions 30 may be formed. In this case, the recessed portions 5a of the upper and lower hair clip surfaces 4A and 4B become the space portions 30.
Moreover, a photocatalytic function may be imparted to each of the hair clip surfaces 4. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, a coating material 4a containing photocatalyst particles is applied and coated on the surface of the plate portion 15a (16a) , or as shown in Fig. 6, photocatalyst particles 4b are contained in the plate portion 15a (15a), whereby the photocatalytic function can be imparted to each of the hair clip surfaces 4. In such a manner as described above, a sterilization function, a deodorization function and the like can be imparted to the hair clip surfaces 4.
Note that, as a material that allows the hair clip surfaces 4 to exert the photocatalytic function, a publicly known material such as silver can be used; however, it is particularly preferred to use titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide is used as described above, whereby a hydrophilic function can be imparted to the hair clip surfaces 4 by the titanium dioxide concerned, and a moist feeling and a smooth and silky feeling can be given to the hair thereby.

Claims

A hair iron that includes a first clip portion having a first hair clip surface, and a second clip portion having a second hair clip surface, and clips hair between the first hair clip surface and the second hair clip surface,
wherein, when a pair of the first and second hair clip surfaces are brought into contact with each other in a state of not clipping the hair therebetween, space portions are formed therebetween.
The hair iron according to claim 1, wherein the space portions are formed by providing a plurality of protruding/recessed portions on at least the first hair clip surface as one of a pair of the hair clip surfaces.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2,
wherein the plurality of protruding/recessed portions are provided on the pair of hair clip surfaces, recessed portions of the protruding/recessed portions are recessed into a semicircular shape, and tip ends of protruding portions of the protruding/recessed portions are formed into a flat shape, and
the space portions are formed by contacting the recessed portions of the first hair clip surface and the protruding portions of the second hair clip surface each other.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2,
wherein the plurality of protruding/recessed portions are provided on the pair of hair clip surfaces, and
the space portions are formed by contacting the protruding portions of the first hair clip surface and the protruding portions of the second hair clip surface each other.
The hair iron according to claim 2, wherein recessed portions and protruding portions of the protruding/recessed portions are individually extended along a width direction of the first and second clip portions.
The hair iron according to claim 5, wherein the space portions to be formed of the protruding/recessed portions are open to both widthwise sides of the clip portions in the pair of hair clip surfaces.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2,
wherein the pair of hair clip surfaces are formed in such a manner that surfaces of a clip portion main body of the first clip portion and a clip portion main body of the second clip portion, the surfaces being opposite to each other, are allowed to support thereon a hair clip member having the first hair clip surface, and a hair clip member having the second hair clip surface, and
at least the second hair clip surface as one of the pair of hair clip surfaces is supported so as to be freely movable relatively to the clip portion main body of the second clip portion.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2,
wherein, on one widthwise end of at least the first clip portion as one of the pair of clip portions, a plurality of guide protrusions are provided, the guide protrusions being formed along a longitudinal direction of the clip portions, and guiding the hair along a width direction of the clip portions.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein heat radiation portions are provided on widthwise side surfaces of the pair of clip portions.
The hair iron according to claim 9, wherein the heat radiation portions are a plurality of projections provided on at least one side surface of the widthwise side surfaces so as to be extended in a longitudinal direction of the clip portions.
The hair iron according to either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the pair of hair clip surfaces are allowed to exert a photocatalytic function.
The hair iron according to claim 11, wherein titanium dioxide is used as a material that allows the pair of hair clip surfaces to exert the photocatalytic function.