EP2341794A1

EP2341794A1 - A hair curling device

Info

Publication number: EP2341794A1
Application number: EP09814098A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mauro Catini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-17
Filing date: 2009-05-15
Publication date: 2011-07-13
Also published as: JP2012502675A; WO2010031603A1; CN102196741A; CA2737501A1; BRPI0918665A2; ITBO20080568A1; ES2396954T1; US20110192417A1

Abstract

A hair-curling device, of a type comprising a grip (2) for supporting a shaped body (3) having an elongate shape on which a lock of hair is rolled, and electrical heating means (4) associated to the shaped body (3) for defining a predetermined curl in the lock of hair wound on the body (3), the grip (2) fixedly supporting the shaped body (3); the body (3) being symmetrically shaped with respect to relative median horizontal and vertical planes thereof and longitudinally exhibiting a transversal section which varies continuously from a minimum value to a maximum value, and vice versa, according to a predetermined progression.

Description

A HAIR CURLING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical sector concerning devices for curling hair, known as curlers.

BACKGROUND ART

A plurality of hair-curling devices are known, destined to be used by operators in the sector to perform curly hairstyles or permanents, with more-or-less undulated hair according to the customer's wishes.

Hair-curling devices are fundamentally constituted by a grip for supporting a shaped elongate body, generally cylindrical, on which a lock of hair is rolled, and by heating means associated to the shaped body for defining a predetermined curl of the lock wound on the body.

In some cases the body on which the lock of hair is rolled exhibits a constant transversal section over the long longitudinal extension thereof, while in other cases the body exhibits a constantly growing section proceeding from the grip towards the free end.

A blocking element is often hinged to the shaped body, which element is destined to stabilise the rolled lock of hair.

Hair-curling devices, being provided with a cylindrical body, are not able to provide the locks of hair treated with a final "natural" effect, evidently showing that the effect is indeed artificial.

Finally, with known-type hair-curling device the final styled effect, however carefully done, exhibits a visual effect such as to appear unnatural, i.e. the difference between a natural wave and/or curl is evidently different to those produced artificially using hair-curling devices.

The cylindrically-shaped body enables waves and/or curls to be obtained which are similar to each other, which adds to the unnatural effect of the relative styling.

Further hair-curling devices are known, in which the shaped body is detachable from the grip, which however exhibit the drawback of not guaranteeing, during use, the certainty of electromechanical stability of the coupling between the two detachable bodies.

This is particularly disadvantageous when considering that during the stage of use, should there be an accidental detachment, the shaped body could go involuntarily and uncontrolledly into contact with both the surrounding hair and the skin of client's head, with the risk of damaging both the final aesthetic result of the treated lock of hair and also the customer's health.

An accidental detachment would also lead to an electrical disconnection between the grip, to which the electrical supply is associated, and the shaped body, in which the heating means are housed, causing an undesired irregularity in the temperature of the shaped body which could not be perceived by the operator and which would result in a poor result in the treated lock of hair.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to provide a hair-curling device which enables artificial waves and/or curls to be obtained of the locks of hair treated, which waves and/or curls are particular similar to natural curls and/or waves.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a hair-curling device which enables waves and/or curls to be obtained which differ along the length of each lock of hair.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a hair-curling device which is extremely reliable and functional for the operator, thus guaranteeing maximum safety during the operating stage with regard to the locks of hair treated and the safety of the user undergoing the treatment to her or his hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above aims are obtained in accordance with the contents of the claims.

The characteristics of the invention will be made evident in the following description, in which preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention are illustrated, with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figures 1 , 2 show respective views, front and rear, of the hair-curling device;

figure 3 shows the view according to section B-B of figure 1 ;

figure 4 shows the view according to section A-A of figure 1. - A -

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes in its entirety the hair-curling device comprising, in known ways, a grip 2 for supporting an elongate shaped body 3 on which a lock of hair is rolled, and electrical heating means 4 associated to the shaped body 3 for the definition of a predetermined curl of the lock wound on the body 3, with the shaped body 3 being supported fixed to the grip 2.

In a novel way, the curling device 1 of the invention is provided with a body 3 which is shaped symmetrically with respect to the relative median horizontal and vertical planes and longitudinally exhibits a transversal section which varies continuously from a minimum value to a maximum value and vice versa, according to a predetermined progression.

In a preferred embodiment the shaped body 3 comprises a pair of broadened sections 7 separated from one another and from the heads (5, 6) by three corresponding narrowed sections 8.

The transversal section of the broadened sections 7 can be less than the transversal section of the heads 5, 6 as illustrated in the accompany figures, or vice versa.

By way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, the two heads 5, 6 have a transversal section with a substantially elliptical or oval geometry, while the transversal sections of the broadened sections 7 and the narrowed sections 8 have a substantially circular geometry.

Entirely similarly, in further embodiments, not illustrated for the sake of simplicity, the transversal sections can include any desired combination of elliptical/oval/circular geometry which enables obtaining the predetermined curl of the lock of hair.

In similar embodiments, also not illustrated for the sake of simplicity, the shaped body 3 can further comprise one or more broadened sections 7 separated from one another and from the two heads 5, 6 by corresponding narrowed sections 8.

Means 10 for activating and regulating the heating power generated by the electrical heating means 4 are advantageously located on the grip 2.

In known ways, a blocking element can be associated to the shaped body 3, which blocking element is destined to stabilise the lock of hair rolled on the body 3.

The electrical heating means 4 can be constituted by an electrical resistance i.e. by several electrical resistances having for example different heating power.

In the first case the single resistance heats the shaped body 3 over the whole extension thereof, with a surface temperature that varies according to the quantity of material interposed between the resistance and the surface; at the heads 5, 6 the surface temperature is less than the temperature of the broadened sections 7, which is in turn less than the temperature of the narrowed section 8.

In the second case the various resistances are of such a size and are arranged such as to obtain a predetermined surface temperature profile of the shaped body 3.

In both cases the electrical heating means 4 can be connected to a temperature sensor (not illustrated) and regulated using the activating and regulating means 10. During the functioning stage the resistance 4 or resistances 4 heat the external surface of the shaped body 3 in the desired way, such as to obtain the predetermined wave and/or curl of the lock of hair wound on the shaped body 3, stabilising the obtained curl.

From the above, it can easily be understood how the provided hair- curling device enables artificially obtaining waves and/or curls of the treated locks of hair which are particularly similar to natural waves and/or curls.

The elongate shaped body, symmetrical with respect to the horizontal and vertical planes and having a transversal section which varies continuously from a minimum to a maximum value and vice versa, enables waves and/or curls to be obtained of the hair which are particularly similar to natural effects, thanks to the fact that the locks of hair wound on the body are subjected to zones having different degrees of waves.

More precisely the wave is more accentuated in the locks of hair wound at the narrowed sections and less accentuated in the locks of hair wound on the broadened sections.

The hair-curling device of the invention is further extremely reliable and functional for the operator as it guarantees maximum safety during functioning, thus protecting the treated locks of hair and safeguarding the health of the user undergoing hair treatment.

The presence of zones with suitable broadened sections and narrowed sections, together with the possibility of adopting a plurality of electrical resistances, enables a predetermined temperature gradient to be obtained on the external surface of the shaped body and this enables the operator to handle the hair-curling device with greater safety, avoiding the risk of burning her or himself and also singeing the user during the operating stage.

The special geometry of the shaped body enables use of smaller blocking elements for stabilising the lock of hair, making the hair-curling device provided particularly usable even by operators who are not particularly expert.

Claims

1 ). A hair-curling device, of a type comprising a grip (2) for supporting a shaped body (3) having an elongate shape on which a lock of hair is rolled, and electrical heating means (4) associated to the shaped body (3) for defining a predetermined curl in the lock of hair wound on the body (3), the grip (2) fixedly supporting the shaped body (3); characterised in that the body (3) is symmetrically shaped with respect to relative median horizontal and vertical planes thereof and longitudinally exhibits a transversal section which varies continuously from a minimum value to a maximum value, and vice versa, according to a predetermined progression.

2). The device of claim 1 , characterised in that the shaped body (3) comprises two heads (5, 6) and at least a broadened zone (7) separated from the two heads (5, 6) by at least two narrowed zones (8).

3). The device of claim 2, characterised in that the shaped body (3) comprises a plurality of broadened zones (7) separated from one another and from the heads (5, 6) by corresponding narrowed zones (8).

4). The device of claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the transversal sections of the heads (5,6 ) are shaped according to a substantially elliptical or oval or circular geometry.

5). The device of one of claims from 2 to 4, characterised in that the transversal sections of the broadened section (7) and the narrowed sections are shaped according to substantially elliptical or oval or circular geometry.

6). The device of one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises means (10) for activating and regulating a heating power generated by the electrical heating means (4), which means (10) are associated to the grip (2).

7). The device of one of claims from 1 to 6, characterised in that the electrical heating means (4) are constituted by one or more electrical resistances.

8). The device of one of claims from 1 to 7, characterised in that the electrical heating means (4) are constituted by several electrical resistances having different heating power.