EP4353122A1 - Hair strand curling accessory - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hair shaping accessory, intended to be fixed on a blowing and heating device, comprising: - a cylindrical connector; - a mandrel of frustoconical shape, comprising a distal side and a proximal side, the distal side having a diameter greater than the proximal side, said proximal side being connected to the cylindrical connector, said mandrel comprising a plurality of air outlet orifices; - a deflector of frustoconical shape located inside the mandrel; said cylindrical connector comprising an annular slot allowing, in use, to create a protective blade of hot air around the mandrel.

Description

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to an accessory for curling strands of hair intended to be fixed on a blowing and heating device.

State of the art

Hair curling devices are well known in the state of the art. They generally come in the form of a blowing brush or in the form of a hair dryer with a generally removable curling accessory.

The document KR1020190131892 discloses a hair shaping device having an air inlet and air outlet ports. The air flow is guided by a conical-shaped internal deflector allowing uniform distribution of the air flow along the length of the accessory.

The document KR20220039371 discloses a sulking accessory for a hair dryer, having a cylindrical body having a series of orifices. The cylindrical body has a larger diameter at the base of the accessory. In addition, the internal surface of the cylindrical body includes shoulders which prevent the progression of the air flow.

Aims of the invention

The present invention aims to provide an accessory using less energy than those of the prior art while maintaining the same performance. Thanks to its annular slot, an external air flow acts as a protective air blade around the hair shaping mandrel, and helps limit heat loss from the accessory in contact with the ambient air. The operating temperature of the accessory can therefore be maintained using a power lower than that used by prior art accessories of the same type. Furthermore, thanks to its conical geometry and its internal deflector, the accessory of the present invention allows a studied distribution of the air flow.

Another aim of the invention is to offer a hair shaping accessory whose temperature necessary for curling is reached more quickly, thanks to the internal air flow deflected by the specific shape of the deflector located at the inside the hair shaping mandrel. More particularly, the deflector is of generally frustoconical shape and has on the surface structural obstacles making it possible to deflect an internal air flow radially towards the orifices of the mandrel (shoulders, protuberances, parallel or spiral staircases, etc.).

The present invention also offers an accessory making it possible to give more volume to the base of the user's locks of hair thanks to the inverted frustoconical shape of the mandrel. By “inverted frustoconical shape”, it is understood that the diameter of the mandrel is smaller on the side of the attachment to the hot air source (proximal side). This results in a tighter curl being formed in the hair wound at the base of the mandrel. Curls are less tight and looser as the strand is wound toward the head of the accessory (distal side), providing more volume at the base of the hair strands.

Summary of the invention

• un connecteur cylindrique;
• un mandrin de forme tronconique, comportant un côté distal et un côté proximal, le côté distal ayant un diamètre supérieur au côté proximal, ledit côté proximal étant connecté au connecteur cylindrique, ledit mandrin comprenant une pluralité d'orifices de sortie d'air;
• un déflecteur de forme tronconique situé à l'intérieur du mandrin;

le connecteur cylindrique comprenant une fente annulaire permettant, en utilisation, de créer une lame d'air chaud de protection autour du mandrin.The present invention discloses a hair shaping accessory, intended to be fixed on a blowing and heating device, comprising:

• a cylindrical connector;
• a mandrel of frustoconical shape, comprising a distal side and a proximal side, the distal side having a diameter greater than the proximal side, said proximal side being connected to the cylindrical connector, said mandrel comprising a plurality of air outlet ports;
• a frustoconical shaped deflector located inside the mandrel;

the cylindrical connector comprising an annular slot allowing, in use, to create a protective blade of hot air around the mandrel.

• le déflecteur tronconique comprend des obstacles en surface permettant, en utilisation, de dévier radialement un flux d'air chaud interne à travers les orifices de sortie d'air du mandrin ;
• les obstacles en surface du déflecteur tronconique sont des épaulements résultant d'une succession de cylindres à diamètres croissants interconnectés ;
• la conicité du déflecteur est supérieure à celle du mandrin ;
• le mandrin est connecté au connecteur cylindrique par une fixation en étoile ;
• les épaulements sont perpendiculaires à l'axe longitudinal du déflecteur ;
• le rapport du diamètre du côté distal du mandrin sur le diamètre du côté proximal du mandrin est compris entre 1,1 et 2, de préférence entre 1,3 et 1,7.
• le mandrin comprend à sa base une ouverture permettant le passage du flux d'air chaud interne alimentant le déflecteur, le rapport de la surface de l'ouverture sur la surface de la fente annulaire étant compris entre 2 et 5, de préférence entre 2,5 et 3,5 ;
• le rapport de la surface totale de l'ensemble des orifices de sortie d'air sur la surface de la fente annulaire est compris entre 15 et 25, de préférence entre 18 et 22 ;
• la fente annulaire a une hauteur comprise entre 0,5 et 2 mm, de préférence entre 0,7 et 1,3 mm ;
• la distance entre les cylindres est comprise entre 8 et 14 mm, de préférence entre 10 et 12 mm ;
• le mandrin (3) comporte un métal conducteur, de préférence de l'aluminium ou du cuivre, ledit mandrin (3) comportant de préférence une couche céramique.

The particular embodiments of the invention comprise at least one or an appropriate combination of the following characteristics:

• the frustoconical deflector comprises surface obstacles allowing, in use, to radially deflect a flow of internal hot air through the air outlet orifices of the mandrel;
• the obstacles on the surface of the frustoconical deflector are shoulders resulting from a succession of interconnected cylinders with increasing diameters;
• the conicity of the deflector is greater than that of the mandrel;
• the mandrel is connected to the cylindrical connector by a star attachment;
• the shoulders are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the deflector;
• the ratio of the diameter of the distal side of the mandrel to the diameter of the proximal side of the mandrel is between 1.1 and 2, preferably between 1.3 and 1.7.
• the mandrel comprises at its base an opening allowing the passage of the internal hot air flow supplying the deflector, the ratio of the surface of the opening to the surface of the annular slot being between 2 and 5, preferably between 2, 5 and 3.5;
• the ratio of the total surface area of all the air outlet orifices to the surface area of the annular slot is between 15 and 25, preferably between 18 and 22;
• the annular slot has a height of between 0.5 and 2 mm, preferably between 0.7 and 1.3 mm;
• the distance between the cylinders is between 8 and 14 mm, preferably between 10 and 12 mm;
• the mandrel (3) comprises a conductive metal, preferably aluminum or copper, said mandrel (3) preferably comprising a ceramic layer.

The present invention also discloses a blowing brush comprising a handle on which the accessory is fixed, said brush comprising a blowing and heating device. The blower brush may include a lock cooperating with the locking of the accessory on the brush, making the accessory removable.

Brief description of the figures

• There figure 1 represents a three-dimensional view of an example of accessory according to the present invention.
• There figure 2 corresponds to the three-dimensional view of the figure 1 , on which a slot is visible at the base of the chuck. This slot lets the air coming from the hot air source pass through and allows the establishment of a cylindrical blade of hot air around the mandrel protecting it against heat loss.
• There Figure 3 corresponds to the figure 1 , on which the internal air flow is represented, namely the flow blown inside the chuck and exiting through the air outlet ports of the chuck of the accessory.
• There Figure 4 represents a two-dimensional side view of the accessory of the figure 1 .
• There Figure 5 corresponds to the side view of the Figure 4 , on which the external air flow generating the air blade for protection against heat loss is represented.
• There Figure 6 represents a longitudinal section of the accessory of the Figure 4 (section AA'), on which the internal air flow is represented, namely the flow blown inside the mandrel and exiting radially through the air outlet orifices of the mandrel following its impact on structural obstacles, here for example the shoulders, the deflector.
• There figure 7 represents the example of deflector of the accessory of the Figure 6 .
• There figure 8 represents a side section of the accessory of the Figure 4 (cut BB').
• There Figure 9 represents a three-dimensional view of an example of an accessory according to the present invention, removably mounted on a heated handle.
• There Figure 10 compares the evolution of the temperature on the external surface of an accessory according to the present invention with that of a prior art accessory of the same type. The prior art accessory used for the comparison is shown on the Figure 11 , it does not include either an internal frustoconical deflector or an external slot generating the flow in the form of a protective blade. The temperature is measured over time at three different locations by probes attached to the external surface of the accessories (at the base, in the middle and at the head of the accessories).
• There Figure 11 represents the accessory of the prior art, used for measuring temperatures of the Figure 10 .
• There Figure 12 represents a three-dimensional view of another example of a deflector of the accessory according to the present invention (the structural obstacles of which are protuberances).

List of reference symbols

1

Hair shaping accessory

2

Cylindrical connector

3

Mandrel

4

Deflector

5

Structural obstacles on the surface of the deflector (shoulders on the figures 6 and 7 , and protuberances on the figures 12 and 13)

6

Ring slot of the barrel connector

7

Chuck head

8

Chuck base

9

Internal airflow

10

External air gap

11

Blowing and heating handle

12

Means of fixing the accessory to the handle

13

Chuck radial air outlet ports

14

Cylinder of the frustoconical deflector

15

Opening surface feeding the baffle

16

Star fixing of the chuck on the connector

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention discloses a hairdressing accessory 1 for shaping hair, and in particular the formation of curls. An example of this accessory is shown on the figures 1 to 8 . On the Figure 9 , the accessory is shown in combination with a handle 11 comprising a blowing and heating device.

As illustrated on the figures 1 to 3 , the accessory includes an external mandrel 3, on which the user winds his strands of hair to be curled. This mandrel is frustoconical in shape and is connected to a cylindrical connector 2 which can be fixed on a blowing and heating device, in a removable or permanent manner. Throughout the description of the invention, the “head” of the mandrel 7 refers to the distal end thereof relative to the cylindrical connector, while the “base” of the mandrel 8 refers to the end proximal of it relative to the cylindrical connector.

The chuck includes a set of air outlet ports 13 distributed uniformly on its side surface, which allows hot air to be blown across its surface. As illustrated by the Figure 6 , an internal air flow 9 is generated by the heating and blowing device. The mandrel is connected to the cylindrical connector by its smallest diameter, so as to have its inverted frustoconical shape starting from the connector of the accessory. Preferably, the ratio of the diameter of the distal side (“head”) of the mandrel to the diameter of the proximal side (“base”) of the mandrel is between 1.1 and 2, preferably between 1.3 and 1.7.

Preferably, the mandrel is connected to the cylindrical connector by a star attachment 16, as shown in the figures 1 And 8 .

The cylindrical connector 2 of the accessory of the invention comprises an annular slot 6 which allows a second air flow 10, called "external flow" throughout the description of the invention, to be blown around the mandrel. This external flow forms an air blade, like a protective sheath against heat loss around the mandrel, as shown on the figures 2 And 5 . In this way, it makes it possible to limit heat losses from the mandrel in contact with the ambient air. Thanks to this protective air blade, energy savings can be made because the power used is less for an identical air outlet temperature. In the embodiment of the invention as shown in the figures, the annular slot is interrupted occasionally by the star-shaped fixing lugs 16 of the mandrel on the cylindrical connector. The annular slot has a height of between 0.5 and 2 mm, preferably between 0.7 and 1.3 mm.

Inside the mandrel 3 there is a deflector 4, as shown in the Figure 6 . This frustoconical deflector comprises a surface structure with obstacles 5 making it possible to axially deflect the internal air flow towards the outside of the accessory, through the air outlet orifices provided on the surface of the mandrel. The surface structure of the frustoconical deflector can be of any type of shape making it possible to create an obstacle deflecting the air little by little, and more homogeneously, through the mandrel. The structure can for example be in the form of a spiral, with protuberances placed judiciously on the deflector ( Figure 12 ), in the form of a specific roughness, in the form of shoulders ( figures 6 and 7 ), etc.

Preferably, as illustrated in the figures 6 and 7 , the deflector of frustoconical shape comprises as air deflection obstacles on the surface shoulders 5 generated by an “assembly of cylinders 14 with interconnected increasing diameters”. These shoulders, similar to stair steps as illustrated on the figures 6 and 7 , obstruct the flow of air which is blown in a longitudinal direction inside the mandrel. In this way, the internal flow abuts against each shoulder and then exits radially from the mandrel via the air outlet orifices. The internal flow is then divided into a set of sub-flows, distributed uniformly over the entire length of the mandrel. In the case of this particular deflector, the shoulders are preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the deflector. The deflector preferably comprises between 8 and 12 shoulders. The distance between the shoulders is preferably between 8 and 14 mm.

The diameters of the mandrel and the deflector are smaller at their base than at their head. Preferably, the conicity of the deflector is greater than that of the mandrel, with a ratio of the conicity of the deflector to the conicity of the mandrel of between 1.1 and 1.5, preferably between 1.2 and 1.3. The slope of the truncated cone of the mandrel is between 1 and 5° and preferably between 2 and 3°, while that of the deflector is between 2 and 5°, preferably between 2.5 and 4° relative to the axis horizontal.

The combination of the two air flows, internal and external, allows on the one hand a rapid rise in temperature of the chuck and on the other hand a more uniform distribution of the flow over the entire length of the accessory. The graph of the Figure 10 compares the evolution of the temperatures of the chuck of an example of accessory of the invention ( figures 1-9 ) with those of a similar accessory of the prior art ( Figure 11 ), for the same heating power. Measurements are taken using temperature sensors positioned on the surface of each chuck, at the base, center and head thereof.

The accessory of the prior art is illustrated by the Figure 11 . This does not include an internal frustoconical deflector or a slot generating a protective air blade. Furthermore, the mandrel is frustoconical in shape with a larger diameter on the proximal side than on the distal side, unlike the mandrel of the present invention. Concerning the accessory of the present invention used for the comparison, it is illustrated by the figures 1-9 , namely the accessory comprising the deflector with the different shoulders.

The graph of the Figure 10 clearly illustrates a higher temperature for the accessory of the present invention at each point of comparison, for identical heating power and air flow. Furthermore, it also results in the accessory of the present invention being brought to a higher temperature more quickly. After 15 seconds, the mandrel of the present invention is already at 89 degrees on the proximal side (47 degrees for the prior art mandrel), 93 degrees at its center (73 degrees for the prior art mandrel) and 38 degrees degrees on the distal side (26 degrees for the mandrel of the prior art).

The chuck of the accessory is generally made of conductive metal, preferably aluminum or copper, and preferably has a ceramic layer for more uniform heat distribution.

The mandrel comprises at its base an opening 15 allowing the passage of the internal hot air flow 9 (see figure 8 ). The internal flow generated inside the mandrel is blown by the blowing device through this opening surface 15. Preferably, the ratio of the opening surface 15 feeding the deflector to the surface of the annular slot is between 2 and 5, and preferably between 2.5 and 3.5. The open surface of the annular slot is preferably between 60 and 100 mm ² , while the opening surface which feeds the deflector is preferably between 200 and 300 mm ² .

The total surface area of all the air outlet orifices 13 distributed over the mandrel is preferably between 1200 mm ² and 2000 mm ² , preferably between 1500 mm ² and 1700 mm ² . The ratio of the total surface area of all the air outlet orifices to the surface area of the annular slot is preferably between 15 and 25, preferably between 18 and 22.

The present invention is not limited to a hairdressing accessory, but can also extend to any type of blowing brush comprising the accessory as described above.

The accessory can be removably attached to the blower brush which then acts as a handle (see Figure 9 ). The accessory can therefore be part of a set of various accessories capable of being attached to the same blowing brush to provide different shaping of the hair. In this case, the accessory comprises locks 12 cooperating with locks provided on the brush (not shown), allowing reversible locking of the accessory on the brush.

The accessory can also be permanently attached to a blower brush, such as a fixed tip.

Claims (14)

Accessory (1) for shaping hair, intended to be fixed on a blowing and heating device, comprising: - a cylindrical connector (2); - a mandrel (3) of frustoconical shape, comprising a distal side (7) and a proximal side (8), the distal side (7) having a diameter greater than the proximal side (8), said proximal side (8) being connected to the cylindrical connector (2), said chuck (3) comprising a plurality of air outlet ports (13); - a deflector (4) of frustoconical shape located inside the mandrel (3); said cylindrical connector (2) comprising an annular slot (6) allowing, in use, to create a protective hot air blade (10) around the mandrel (3). Accessory (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the frustoconical deflector (4) comprises obstacles (5) on the surface allowing, in use, to radially deflect a flow of internal hot air (9) through the orifices of air outlet (13) from the mandrel (3). Accessory (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said obstacles on the surface of the frustoconical deflector (4) are shoulders (5) resulting from a succession of interconnected cylinders (14) with increasing diameters. Accessory (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the conicity of the deflector (4) is greater than that of the mandrel (3). Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mandrel (3) is connected to the cylindrical connector (2) by a star attachment (16). Accessory (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the shoulders (5) are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the deflector (4). Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ratio of the diameter of the distal side (7) of the mandrel (4) to the diameter of the proximal side (8) of the mandrel is between 1.1 and 2, preferably between 1.3 and 1.7. Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mandrel (3) comprises at its base an opening (15) allowing the passage of the internal hot air flow (9) supplying the deflector (4) , the ratio of the surface of the opening (15) to the surface of the annular slot (6) being between 2 and 5, preferably between 2.5 and 3.5. Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ratio of the total surface area of all the air outlet orifices (13) to the surface area of the annular slot (6) is between 15 and 25, preferably between 18 and 22. Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular slot (6) has a height of between 0.5 and 2 mm, preferably between 0.7 and 1.3 mm. Accessory (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 10, characterized in that the distance between the cylinders (14) is between 8 and 14 mm, preferably between 10 and 12 mm. Accessory (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mandrel (3) comprises a conductive metal, preferably aluminum or copper, said mandrel (3) preferably comprising a ceramic layer. Blowing brush (11) comprising a handle on which the accessory (1) of claims 1 to 12 is fixed, said brush comprising a blowing and heating device. Blowing brush (11) according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises a lock cooperating with the locking (12) of the accessory (1) on the brush (11), making the accessory removable.

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