EP2462831B1 - Hair styling accessory - Google Patents

Description

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical hand-held apparatuses used for drying and / or shaping hair by means in particular of a hot air flow or by contact heat application such as electric hair dryers. blowing brushes or smoothing or curling irons. In a preferred but not exclusive application the invention relates to the field of hair shaping accessories used with blower electric hairdressing appliances.

When drying and / or shaping a hair, it may be necessary to apply mechanical stress to the locks of hair at the same time as drying them. This operation generally requires the simultaneous use, on the one hand, a comb or a hand brush and, secondly, a hairdryer. The comb or brush then serves to exert the mechanical stress on the lock of hair while the hair dryer allows to apply heat to the area of the lock of hair mechanically constrained. However, when this operation is performed by a single person on his hair, it requires a certain dexterity and requires a certain time.

State of the prior art:

In order to facilitate this type of hair treatment, a request WO00 / 25623 has proposed a hairdressing accessory that can be adapted to the output of a hair dryer. This hairdressing accessory comprises a hollow body provided with a proximal end for connection to the outlet of the blowing apparatus and a distal air outlet and shaping end. The distal end is then associated with a hair guide comb formed of teeth substantially parallel to a direction of air blowing. The accessory also includes elastic blades interposed between the guide teeth for pressing the locks of hair against the surface of the guide teeth so as to allow smoothing of the hair.

Such a smoothing accessory gives full satisfaction for hairstyles requiring perfectly smooth hair. However, this accessory is not suitable for making hairstyles requiring a volume of hair and, in particular, a detachment of the hair root to inflate the hair. Thus, it has emerged the need for a shaping accessory that is likely to be associated with a hairdressing appliance and that allows a quick and effective manner "detachment" of the hair root or a setting shape of the portion of hair in the immediate vicinity of the scalp so that the user can easily and quickly make a hairstyle requiring "puffy" hair.

Requirement EP1 721 539 discloses a device for smoothing the hair, having an outer comb and an inner comb, mounted movably.

Presentation of the invention

• présentant chacune une forme en « V » ou en « U » formée de deux branches élastiques reliées au niveau d'une âme, formant la tête de chaque dent de serrage, orientée vers l'extrémité distale,
• et définissant deux à deux par leurs branches en regard un espace de serrage des cheveux sensiblement parallèle aux dents de guidage.

In order to achieve this object, the invention relates to an accessory for shaping the hair, intended to be adapted to a hairdressing appliance, comprising a body provided with a proximal end of adaptation to the hairdressing appliance and a distal forming end associated, on the one hand, with at least one hair guide comb formed of teeth substantially parallel to a direction D and, secondly, to clamping means of locks of hair. According to the invention, the clamping means comprise a clamping comb which is parallel to the guide comb and which comprises clamping teeth:

• each having a shape of "V" or "U" formed of two elastic branches connected at a core, forming the head of each clamping tooth, oriented towards the distal end,
• and defining two by two by their branches facing a hair clamping space substantially parallel to the guide teeth.

The implementation of a clamping comb separate from the guide comb makes it possible to dissociate the guiding and clamping functions so that it is possible to achieve a set, guide comb - clamping clamp, relatively thin which can then be approached closer to the scalp so as to effectively take off the roots of hair. The clamping comb also makes it possible to tension the area of the hair situated between the scalp and the said clamping comb, this mechanical stress associated with heating makes it possible to obtain what is called in the field of hairdressing a detachment of avoiding the hair from being pressed against the scalp and helping to give them volume.

According to one characteristic of the invention, each hair clamping space opens between two adjacent guide teeth. Thus, when the shaping accessory according to the invention is engaged on a lock of hair, the latter is distributed naturally between the guide teeth and is easily engaged between the clamping teeth at which it is pinched.

In the same sense and according to another characteristic of the invention, the head of each clamping tooth is aligned with a guide tooth.

According to the invention, the outer surface of the branches of the clamping teeth may have different shapes and for example be convex. According to an embodiment for increasing the contact area between the hair and the clamping teeth, the elastic legs of each clamping tooth have a substantially planar outer clamping surface.

According to a feature of the invention to ensure a clamping as effective as possible including when the wick, engaged between the clamping teeth, is particularly thin, the opposite branches of two adjacent clamping teeth are in contact on a part at less than their length.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the shaping accessory comprises means for heating the clamping comb. These heating means can be active, for example an electrical resistance integral with the comb or passive like a channel channeling a flow of hot air over all or part of the clamping comb. Thus, the shaping accessory can be implemented with a hairstyling device adapted to ensure the heating of the clamping clamp by thermal conduction and / or by feeding one or more electrical resistors integral with the clamping comb, such apparatus hairdresser not necessarily blowing. However, in a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment, the shaping accessory according to the invention is intended to be adapted to a hairstyling device or hair blowing hair. For this purpose, the body of the shaping accessory is hollow, its proximal end is then intended to ensure the connection of the hollow body to an outlet of the blowing hairdressing apparatus and the distal end of the hollow body forms a air outlet.

According to a variant of this embodiment, the heating means of the clamping comb comprise the flow of hot air generated by the hairdressing apparatus and the clamping comb is placed so as to be located partly in the stream of air circulating in the hollow body.

Still in the sense of increasing the effectiveness of the accessory, the clamping teeth are made of a thermally conductive material. Thus, when the clamping comb is subjected to a flow of hot air its temperature will tend to rise to tend towards the temperature of the flow of hot air. The heated clamping comb will then contribute to the efficiency and fixation of the shaping performed by means of the accessory according to the invention.

According to the invention, the teeth of the clamping comb can be made of any suitable material having good elasticity characteristics such as a stainless steel, a copper or aluminum alloy or even a plastic material such as polypropylene or polyamide PA combined or not with fibers for thermal resistance.

In one embodiment to take advantage of good thermal conductivity, elasticity suitable for tightening hair and a certain longevity, the clamping teeth are made of metal.

According to a variant of this embodiment, the clamping comb is made in a folded metal strip so that the clamping teeth are connected in pairs at the ends, opposite their head, of their adjacent elastic branches. Such an embodiment of the clamping comb makes it possible to achieve a relatively low manufacturing cost, as well as a high strength associated with a satisfactory elasticity.

According to a characteristic of this variant embodiment, the clamping comb is fixed on the hollow body at two lateral teeth so that at least central clamping teeth have freedom of movement in translation parallel to the direction D. displacement in translation of a part of the teeth makes it possible to obtain an increase in the tightening of the wick when the forming accessory is engaged on it and conversely a reduction in the tightening of the wick when the accessory formatting is removed from it.

According to another characteristic of this variant embodiment, the hollow body comprises at least one stop limiting the translation of the central teeth at least.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the tops of the heads of the clamping teeth form an arcuate line.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention aimed at ensuring good control of the temperature of the clamping comb, the latter is associated with heating means comprising an electrical resistance integral with the clamping comb. Such an electrical resistance can be implemented alone or in combination with a hot air flow to heat the clamping comb.

According to a feature of the invention, in particular to ensure good guidance of the hair before engagement between the teeth of the comb of the guide teeth extend beyond the clamping teeth in direction D.

According to one embodiment to avoid as far as possible a direct contact between the clamping comb and the scalp or the skin, especially when the clamping comb will tend to heat under the effect of a hot air flow or under the effect of heating means associated therewith, the shaping accessory according to the invention comprises two parallel guide combs, the clamping comb being located between the two guide combs.

In the same direction and according to a variant of this embodiment, each tooth of a guide comb is connected, at its head and beyond the clamping comb, to a tooth opposite the other comb. guide.

In order to avoid injuring the scalp during the contact between the latter and the teeth of the guide combs, the connecting portion between two teeth facing the guide combs may present, in cross-section view to the guide combs, a shape arched or ogival.

In the same direction, the tops of the tooth heads of a guide comb may also form an arcuate line.

Still in the same direction, the hair shaping accessory may also include other means of protection of the clamping comb adapted to avoid direct contact of the clamping comb with the scalp or the skin.

In order to facilitate the detachment of the roots and the shaping of the hair, the accessory according to the invention may also comprise a bar of against-shape of the hair extending transversely to the guide teeth along a guide comb. Such a counterform bar then provides support for a portion of the lock of hair placed in tension. This bar allows, in addition to the detachment of the root induced by the traction of the clamping means, to give a wave shape on the part of the wick close to the root. This bar allows to form the lock of hair in the opposite direction to its natural implantation in the scalp.

The combination of clamping means that take off the root on the one hand with the counter-shape bar which gives a shape in the opposite direction to the natural direction of implantation of the wick on the other hand gives very good results in terms volume of locks of hair treated.

According to one embodiment of this bar, the bar against the shape of the hair may extend distally relative to the bottom F of the clamping teeth defined by the hair clamping means. Thus, the portion of the lock of hair in contact with this bar allows "shaping" the hair in the opposite direction to its natural implantation, even before pinching the wick and holding the part of hair tight in the clamping space of the hair. hair.

During the implementation of such a counterform bar, the distal end of the accessory may comprise an air outlet on the opposite side to that of the counterform bar with respect to the clamping comb. Preferably but not strictly necessary, the shaping accessory may include this single air outlet at its distal end. In this case the accessory will preferably be used so as to place the air outlet against or on the side of the scalp during the shaping of the hair.

Furthermore, the accessory may advantageously comprise contact dispensing means of a cosmetic agent fluid on the hair. These cosmetic contact dispensing means may comprise a cosmetic impregnated material arranged on at least partially on one of the following elements: clamping comb, clamping teeth, elastic branches, counterform bar, guide comb. This makes it possible to administer, at the same time as the shaping, a fluid cosmetic such as a fixing agent.

This cosmetic may be for example a felt, a fabric, a silicone soaked in cosmetics that will be dropped by contact with the hair. This cosmetic may be a phase change material. For example, the material would be solid at room temperature and as soon as the temperature is higher than the ambient temperature or at a threshold temperature higher than the ambient temperature, for example 50 ° C., the material would pass into the liquid or gaseous phase.

These dispensing means can be refillable by applying fluid or can be replaceable. In addition, if the dispensing means are heated, the cosmetic can see its properties multiplied by heat and the operation is only improved.

The invention also relates to an assembly formed, on the one hand, of a hairdressing appliance and, on the other hand, to a shaping accessory according to the invention which is integral with the hairdressing appliance.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the shaping accessory is removably fitted on the hairdressing appliance.

According to an alternative embodiment of the hairdressing assembly, the hairdressing appliance is adapted to generate an air flow and the shaping accessory is adapted to the hairdressing appliance so as to be traversed by the stream air.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the heating means of the clamping comb are suitable for placing the clamping comb at a temperature of between 50 ° C. and 230 ° C., for example between 70 ° C. and 90 ° C. and preferably between 75 ° C and 85 ° C.

• mise en oeuvre d'un ensemble selon l'invention, l'appareil de coiffure étant en fonctionnement,
• et pour chaque mèche de cheveux à mettre en forme successivement :
  • mise en tension de la mèche de cheveux au moyen d'une main,
  • engagement des dents de l'accessoire de mise en forme A à la base de la mèche tendue, selon une direction transversale à la mèche de cheveux tendue, en plaçant un peigne de guidage contre le cuir chevelu pendant cet engagement,
  • une fois l'accessoire de mise en forme complètement engagé, maintien de cette position pendant une durée de quelques secondes,
  • retrait de l'accessoire de mise en forme en sens inverse de son introduction.

The invention also relates to a method for shaping the hair root comprising the following steps:

• implementation of an assembly according to the invention, the hairdressing apparatus being in operation,
• and for each lock of hair to be successively shaped:
  • tensioning the lock of hair with one hand,
  • engagement of the teeth of the shaping aid A at the base of the wick stretched, in a direction transverse to the strand of hair stretched, placing a guide comb against the scalp during this engagement,
  • once the shaping accessory is fully engaged, maintaining this position for a period of a few seconds,
  • removal of the shaping accessory in the opposite direction of its introduction.

The method according to the invention can be envisaged according to two different states of the hair as explained below.

1. a) Diviser la mèche de cheveux en plusieurs sous-mèches,
2. b) donner aux sous-mèches une forme contraire à l'implantation naturelle de mèche,
3. c) placer chaque sous-mèche entre deux surfaces de traitement chaudes,
4. d) appliquer une pression par les deux surfaces de traitement chaudes sur chaque sous-mèche ayant pour effet de transmettre aux sous-mèches de l'énergie thermique par contact et de porter chaque sous mèche à une température comprise entre 50°C et 230°C.

When the hair is dry: the invention also relates to a method of shaping the root of dry hair comprising the following steps:

1. a) Divide the lock of hair into several sub-locks,
2. b) give the sub-locks a shape contrary to the natural implantation of wick,
3. c) placing each sub-wick between two hot treatment surfaces,
4. d) applying a pressure by the two hot treatment surfaces on each sub-wick having the effect of transmitting contact thermal energy to the sub-wicks and carrying each wick at a temperature between 50 ° C and 230 ° vs.

1. a) Diviser la mèche de cheveux mouillés ou humides en plusieurs sous-mèches,
2. b) donner aux sous-mèches une forme contraire à l'implantation naturelle de mèche,
3. c) transmettre aux sous-mèches de l'énergie thermique grâce à une lame chauffée de manière à porter la mèche à une température de séchage 50-230°C de manière à figer les cheveux dans la forme de contrainte et à une pression exercée par les lames sur la mèche.

When the hair is wet or wet: the invention also relates to a method of shaping the root of wet or wet hair comprising the following steps:

1. a) Divide the lock of wet or damp hair into several sub-locks,
2. b) give the sub-locks a shape contrary to the natural implantation of wick,
3. c) transmit heat energy to the subwicks by means of a blade heated to bring the wick to a drying temperature of 50-230 ° C so as to freeze the hair in the form of stress and pressure exerted by the blades on the wick.

In all the methods described above: an additional step of vibrating the sub-locks of hair can be provided. This step can be carried out by means of the treatment surfaces driven by vibrations by a motor with an eccentric or by means of an off-axis propeller in the case where an air blast step is provided.

In each of the two preceding processes with dry hair or wet or wet hair: it is possible to provide an additional simultaneous cosmetic application step on the under-wicks. This step may be conducted using a felt or phase change material present on at least one of the treatment surfaces. In the case of a phase-change material, it is possible to envisage a material which would be solid at ambient temperature and as soon as the temperature exceeds a threshold at least equal to ambient temperature, the material would pass into the liquid or gaseous phase. . These dispensing means can be refillable by applying fluid or can be replaceable. In addition, if the dispensing means are heated, the cosmetic can see its properties multiplied by heat and the operation is only improved. This makes it possible to administer, at the same time as the shaping, a fluid cosmetic such as a fixing agent.

The term "hair root" refers to the first five centimeters of the hair.

Of course, the various features, variations and embodiments of the invention may be associated with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or exclusive of each other.

For example, according to a second aspect of the invention, the counterform bar may be used with any structure providing a means of tightening lock of hair. The invention is then an accessory for shaping the hair, intended to be adapted to a hairdressing appliance, comprising a) a body provided with a proximal end of adaptation to the hairdressing appliance and an end distal formatting associated on the one hand with at least one hair guide comb formed of teeth substantially parallel to a direction D and secondly to clamping means of locks of hair, and b) a bar against shape of the hair extending transversely to the direction D, for example perpendicular to the direction D.

As explained above, the clamping means can take the first form: a clamping comb parallel to the guide comb and which comprises clamping teeth each having a shape of "V" or "U" formed of two connected elastic branches at the level of a core, forming the head, of each clamping tooth, oriented towards the distal end and defining two by two by their opposite branches a hair clamping space substantially parallel to the guide teeth. Alternatively, the clamping means may take a second shape and be made in the form of a first row of fixed teeth against which a second row of elastically movable teeth (by a spring, an elastic material, etc.) is moved, magnetically ... Each tooth in the second movable row of teeth pinches the bit on the tooth portion of the first fixed row. This structure is particularly described in the patent EP1898740 as follows: the blades (or teeth) moving the row of clamping blades are carried by a player and follow the same movement as the latter which is driven by an actuating system. Thus, a pair of clamping blades may comprise a movable blade and a fixed blade, the movable blades being in this case all carried by the same player. In a variant, a pair of clamping blades is formed by two movable blades facing each other, the moving blades of one series being carried by a walkman and the moving blades of the other series being carried by a second walkman each player being set in motion by its respective actuating system. The relative movement of the blades vis-à-vis a pair of clamping blades has for aim to open in maximum spacing position and periodically close the clamps, each being formed by two adjacent blades. This patent is incorporated herein by reference and relates to a clamping means of a product marketed by the applicant under the name of LISSIMA (registered trademark).

Brief description of the drawings:

• La figure 1 est une perspective schématique, de trois-quarts arrière, d'une première forme de réalisation d'un accessoire pour la mise en forme de cheveux selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une élévation vue selon un grand côté de l'accessoire illustré à la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une perspective schématique d'un demi-corps constitutif de l'accessoire de mise en forme illustré figures 1 et 2.
• La figure 4 est une vue, partiellement coupée, montrant l'accessoire de mise en forme représenté figures 1 à 3 adapté sur le corps d'une brosse soufflante.
• Les figures 5 et 6 montrent des étapes d'utilisation de l'ensemble illustré à la figure 4 pour assurer le décollement des racines d'une mèche de cheveux.
• Les figures 7 et 8 sont des vues, analogues aux figures 2 et 3 respectivement, montrant une autre forme de réalisation d'un accessoire pour la mise en forme de cheveux selon l'invention.
• La figure 9 est une perspective schématique de trois-quarts avant d'encore une autre forme de réalisation d'un accessoire pour la mise en forme de cheveux selon l'invention.
• La figure 10 est une élévation, en vue selon un grand côté, de l'accessoire de mise en forme illustré à la figure 9.
• La figure 11 est une élévation, en vue selon un petit côté, de l'accessoire de mise en forme représentée aux figures 9 et 10.

Furthermore, various other features of the invention appear from the attached description with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of a hair shaping accessory according to the invention.

• The figure 1 is a schematic perspective, three-quarter rear, of a first embodiment of an accessory for shaping hair according to the invention.
• The figure 2 is an elevation seen along a large side of the accessory shown in the figure 1 .
• The figure 3 is a schematic perspective of a half-body constituting the illustrated shaping accessory Figures 1 and 2 .
• The figure 4 is a partially cutaway view showing the shaping accessory shown Figures 1 to 3 adapted to the body of a blower brush.
• The Figures 5 and 6 show steps in using the set illustrated in the figure 4 to ensure the root separation of a lock of hair.
• The Figures 7 and 8 are views, similar to figures 2 and 3 respectively, showing another embodiment of an accessory for shaping hair according to the invention.
• The figure 9 is a three-quarter schematic perspective before yet another embodiment of an accessory for shaping hair according to the invention.
• The figure 10 is an elevation, in a large side view, of the shaping accessory shown in FIG. figure 9 .
• The figure 11 is an elevation, in a small side view, of the shaping accessory shown in FIGS. Figures 9 and 10 .

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention:

In the figures, the elements common to the various embodiments have the same numerical or alphabetical references.

A shaping accessory according to the invention, designated as a whole by the reference A and as represented in FIGS. Figures 1 to 3 , is intended to be traversed by the air flow of a hairdressing apparatus S such as a hair dryer or a blower brush for applying air to a lock of hair to be shaped. Thus, the shaping accessory comprises a hollow body 1 provided with a proximal end 2 for connection to the outlet 3 of the hair-styling or hair-drying apparatus S as shown in FIG. figure 4 . The hollow body 1 has, opposite the proximal end 2, a distal end 4 of the air outlet and hair shaping. The hollow body 1 is formed by the assembly of two half-bodies 5 and 6 along a median plane M substantially parallel to a direction D of blowing the air at the outlet of the distal end 4.

The distal end 4 is associated with at least one and, according to the example shown, two combs 7 for guiding the hair, parallel to each other and arranged on either side of the median plane M. The combs 7 are each integral part of the half body 5, 6 which carries it. Each guide comb 7 is formed of teeth 8 substantially parallel to each other and to the median plane M. The guide combs 7 are, according to the illustrated example, substantially symmetrical to one another with respect to the median plane M so that each guide tooth 8 of a comb 7 is disposed facing a guide tooth 8 of the other comb 7 being aligned with the latter in a direction substantially perpendicular to the median plane M.

Each half-body 5.6 and its associated guide comb 7 are made by molding a suitable material such as a plastic or metal such as aluminum. Preferably the half-bodies 5, 6 are made of an antistatic material such as, for example but not exclusively, a plastic material known under the name Permastat® whose antistatic properties result from a permanent surface treatment, stabilized in temperature. The use of such an antistatic material makes it possible to eliminate the static electricity resulting from the friction with the hair as well as the blowing of air.

In order to make it possible to tension the hair in order to shape it, as will become apparent later, the distal end 4 is associated with hair clamping means which comprise, according to the invention, a clamping comb 10 placed between the guide combs 7 being parallel to them.

The clamping comb 10 comprises a series of elastically deformable clamping teeth 11 which, according to the example illustrated, have a "V" shape whose tip is oriented in the blowing direction D. Thus, each clamping tooth 11 is formed of two elastic branches 12 which are connected at a core forming the head 13 and, here, the tip of the corresponding tooth. The head 13 is thus oriented towards the distal end 4 while the foot 14 of each clamping tooth 11, formed by the ends of the elastic branches 12 opposite the head, is oriented towards the proximal end 2.

According to the illustrated example, the clamping comb 10 is made in a folded metal strip, a little in the manner of an accordion, so that the clamping teeth 11 are interconnected one after the other by the ends of their resilient branches opposite their heads 13. According to the illustrated example, the fold connecting the elastic branches 12 of two adjacent clamping teeth 11 is made so that said branches 12 are in contact with one another on at least part of their length as shown more particularly in the figure 3 .

According to the illustrated example, each head 13 of a clamping tooth 11 is aligned with two guide teeth 8, one of each guide comb 7, so that each space E of the hair clamping, defined by the branches view of two adjacent clamping teeth 11, opens between two adjacent guide teeth of each guide comb 7.

The clamping comb 10 is, moreover, fixed to the hollow body 1 at two opposite lateral teeth 15 and 16 and more particularly at the ends of their outer branches. In view of this method of fixing and the elasticity of the clamping comb, the at least 10 central clamping teeth and, in this case, all the clamping teeth 11 have a freedom of movement parallel to the median plane M and for the central teeth substantially parallel to the blowing direction D. In order to limit the amplitude of the movements of the clamping comb 10, the hollow body 1 comprises at least one stop, and according to the illustrated example a series of stops 17 against which the feet 14 of the clamping teeth 11 come into abutment when the clamping teeth 11 recede.

The metal constituting the clamping comb may be of any suitable nature such as, for example, a copper or aluminum alloy or, preferably, a stainless steel. It may thus be chosen a stainless steel strip having a width of between 5 and 20 mm and a thickness of between 0.05 and 2 mm. To avoid excessive friction with the hair, the outer surface of the strip, intended to come into contact with the latter, may be subject to a surface treatment such as a fine polishing or a deposit of a coating type PTFE or enamel. The surface of the clamping teeth intended to be in contact with the hair may be flat or on the contrary present slight reliefs or pins.

The forming accessory A thus formed can be permanently adapted to the body of the apparatus S or conversely removably by simple interlocking or by means of a bayonet fastening system for example. The shaping accessory of the invention can also be an integral part of the hairdressing apparatus S.

The assembly consisting of the apparatus S and the shaping accessory is implemented in the following manner. Firstly, the apparatus is turned on so as to generate a flow of air passing through the hollow body 1 of the accessory A. If the air blown by the apparatus S is hot, the clamping comb 10 which is in the middle of the air flow will increase its temperature to reach a temperature close to that of the air directly at the exit of the apparatus S. The temperature of the clamping comb measured at the level of its central teeth will be able to for example, be between 50 ° C and 230 ° C, more preferably between 70 ° C and 90 ° C, or even between 75 ° C and 85 ° C.

Since this temperature can lead to burns, the guide teeth 8 are made, according to the example illustrated, so as to extend beyond the clamping teeth 11 in the direction or the blowing axis D for avoid direct contact of the clamping comb 10 with the scalp or the skin. In addition, the accessory A has additional means for protecting the clamping comb 10 formed here by lateral cheeks 20 preventing direct contact with the lateral clamping teeth 14 and 15. In order to complete this confinement of the clamping comb 10, each tooth 8 of a guide comb 7 is connected at its head and beyond the clamping comb 10 to a tooth facing the other guide comb 7. Thus each pair of guide teeth forms a kind of arch above the corresponding clamping tooth 10. The spacing between the adjacent teeth of the same guide comb can then be chosen to be less than one centimeter to prevent the passage of a finger between the guide teeth.

It may be noted that the arch formed by the guide teeth 8 also defines a stop limiting the forward movement of the clamping teeth 11.

Description in operation of the invention:

Hair shaping by means of the invention will be performed after washing the hair and pre-drying the tips of the hair but not the part of the hair closest to the scalp. This formatting will also be performed on one side of the head and then on the other starting from the top of the skull.

Once the apparatus S is turned on, the shaping accessory A is engaged, in the direction of the arrow F1, on a lock C of hair to be shaped which has been previously stretched as shown in FIG. figure 5 . This commitment is made by placing the accessory A close to the scalp or even against it. Engagement is advantageously performed at the base of the wick C. During this engagement the hair of the wick C is distributed between the guide teeth and engage naturally in the clamping spaces E defined by the teeth 11 adjacent. Thus, the hair is sandwiched between the elastic branches 12. Moreover, this engagement, carried out in the direction of the arrow F1, has a tendency to push back the clamping teeth 11 relative to the hollow body 1 which contributes to increasing the tightening due to deformation induced on the clamping comb 10.

Once the wick is fully engaged the user maintains this position, illustrated figure 6 for a period of a few seconds, for example a duration greater than 2 seconds and which will be chosen according to the nature and the state of the scalp and the temperature of the clamping comb, which can be a duration greater than five seconds and, of preferably, of the order of ten seconds. As an indication, the duration is on average 5 seconds. During this treatment period, the tension induced by the clamping comb 10, associated with the heating provided by the air flow, ensures a durable shaping of the hair so as to achieve an "inflated" hairstyle. The permanence of this shaping is further accentuated by the temperature of the clamping comb 10. The hair is then stretched and laid back, as shown. After the treatment period has elapsed, the shaping accessory is released from the lock of hair in the direction of arrow F2. The shaped wick is then folded up and the same operations are performed on a wick located below. This is done on each side of the head.

In order to increase the efficiency of the shaping carried out by the accessory A, one of the guide combs 7 may furthermore comprise a transverse counter-bar against which the hair comes into abutment during movement. A. The presence of the counterform bar 25 then induces an "S" type deformation between the part of the hair situated between the scalp and the bar and the part of the hair situated in the area. clamping space. This deformation contributes to the efficiency of the shaping. During the implementation of the shaping accessory A, the bar will preferably be placed opposite the scalp relative to the clamping comb. The bar against the shape of the hair may extend distally relative to the bottom F of the hair clamping teeth defined by the hair clamping means. Thus the part of the lock of hair in contact with this bar can "form" the hair in the opposite direction to their natural implantation, even before pinching the wick and hold the hair part tight in the clamping space of the hair. hair. The hair is stretched and laid back.

According to the illustrated example in order to avoid injuring the scalp with the end of the guide combs 7 when engaging on the bits to be shaped, the head of the guide teeth 8 has a side view, perpendicularly in the median plane, an arched or ogival shape so that the guide teeth do not have a sharp angle at their end. In the same direction, the vertices of the heads of the guide teeth, seen along the median plane, form an arched line, as shown more particularly by the figure 2 .

The Figures 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of an accessory for shaping hair that differs from that described in connection with the Figures 1 to 6 in that the tips of the guide teeth 8 are aligned along a straight line and not along an arcuate line. According to this example, it is also not implemented two side cheeks so that the lateral teeth 15 and 16 of the clamping comb 10 are directly accessible. Moreover, according to this exemplary embodiment, the counterform bar 25 is not part of integral of the half-body that carries it as shown Figures 1 and 2 but on the contrary is reported on the teeth 8 of a guide comb 7.

According to the invention, each tooth 8 of a guide comb 7 is not necessarily linked to a tooth of another guide comb. Thus, Figures 9 to 11 illustrate another embodiment of an accessory for shaping hair in which the heads of the guide teeth are independent of each other. According to this example, the guide teeth 8 have a generally cylindrical shape, whereas according to the previously described examples, the guide teeth 8 have a flattened shape substantially perpendicular to the median plane M. Furthermore, according to the example of FIGS. Figures 9 to 11 the clamping teeth are generally U-shaped.

It may be noted that according to all the examples described above, the heads 13 of the clamping teeth 11 form an arcuate line which gives the assembly of the clamping comb a slightly arched shape in the median plane M which contributes to increasing its ability to deform parallel to the median plane M.

According to the embodiments previously described, the heating of the clamping comb 10 results from its contact with the air heated by the apparatus S. However, it could be envisaged to associate the clamping comb 10 with dedicated heating means such as that, for example, an electrical resistance that would be integrated.

Furthermore, according to the examples described above, the clamping comb is made of metal however it could be made of any other material having good elasticity characteristics, so it could be made of plastic material such as polypropylene. Similarly, if the clamping comb 10 is preferably made of a thermally conductive material this characteristic is not strictly necessary for the production of a clamping comb according to the invention.

Moreover, the whole of the clamping comb is not necessarily made by folding but could result from the assembly of clamping teeth 11 produced individually.

Of course, various other modifications may be made to the shaping accessory according to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. Hair styling accessory, intended to be adapted to a hair styling appliance (S), comprising a body (1) equipped with a proximal end (2) for adaptation to the hair styling appliance and a distal end (4) for hair styling combined, on the one hand, with a comb (7) for guiding hair comprising teeth (8) that essentially lie parallel to a direction D and, on the other hand, with means to grip strands of hair,
   the gripping means comprising a gripping comb (10), which is parallel to the guiding comb (7) and which comprises flexible gripping teeth (11):

   - each having a "V" shape or a "U" shape formed by two flexible limbs (12) connected at a core, forming the head (13), of each gripping tooth, facing towards the distal end (4)

   - and defining in pairs with their facing limbs a space (E) for gripping hair that is essentially parallel to the guiding teeth (8).
2. Accessory according to claim 1, characterised in that each space for gripping hair (E) opens out between two adjacent guiding teeth (8).
3. Accessory according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the head (13) of each gripping tooth is aligned with a guiding tooth (8).
4. Accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the flexible limbs (12) of each gripping tooth (11) have an outer gripping surface that is essentially flat.
5. Accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the limbs (12) facing two adjacent gripping teeth (11) are in contact with at least a part of their length.
6. Accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it is intended to be adapted to a hair styling or blow drying appliance and that its body (1) is hollow, the proximal end (2) is intended to enable the hollow body (1) to be connected to the output of a blow drying appliance and the distal end forms an air outlet.
7. Accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the gripping teeth (11) are made from a thermally conductive material.
8. Accessory according to claim 7, characterised in that the gripping teeth (11) are made from metal.
9. Accessory according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the gripping comb (10) is made from a metal strip bent such that the gripping teeth (11) are connected in pairs at the ends, opposite to their head (13), of their adjacent flexible limbs (12).
10. An accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it comprises two parallel guiding combs (7), with the gripping comb (10) being positioned between two guiding combs (7).
11. Accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that it comprises a strip for counter-styling (25) hair running across the guiding teeth (8) along a guiding comb.
12. Accessory according to the previous claim, characterised in that the strip (25) for counter-styling hair runs distally in relation to the base (F) of the guiding teeth defined by the means for gripping the hair.
13. Accessory according to claim 6 and claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the distal end comprises an air outlet on the opposite side to that of the counter-styling strip (25) in relation to the gripping comb (10).
14. Assembly comprising, on the one hand, a hair styling appliance (S) and, on the other hand, a hair styling accessory (A) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which is connected to the hair styling appliance.
15. Method for styling from the roots of hair comprising the following steps:

    - implementation of an assembly according to claim 14, with the hair styling appliance in operation,

    - and for each strand of hair to be styled successively:

    - the strand of hair is elongated using one hand,

    - the teeth of the styling accessory (A) are engaged at the base of the elongated strand, in a crosswise direction to the elongated strand of hair, by placing a guiding comb against the scalp during this engaging operation,

    - once the styling accessory has been fully engaged, this position is held for a period of a few seconds,

    - the styling accessory is removed in the opposite direction to that in which it was introduced.

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