US20120272993A1

US20120272993A1 - Hand-Held Hair Straightener with a Cosmetic Product Distribution System

Info

Publication number: US20120272993A1
Application number: US13/456,300
Authority: US
Inventors: Régis Fereyre; Franck Mandica
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA; LOreal SA
Priority date: 2011-04-29
Filing date: 2012-04-26
Publication date: 2012-11-01
Also published as: EP2517599B1; WO2012146869A1; BR102012010938A2; FR2974485A1; ES2450127T3; CN202800496U; CN203776335U; BR102012010938B1; EP2517599A1; FR2974485B1

Abstract

Provided is a hand-held hair styling device consisting of hair shaping or styling mechanism, with at least one hair treatment zone, which is at least partly mobile, cosmetic product distribution mechanism including product application mechanism located in or near hair treatment zone, and feed line to supply application mechanism from cosmetic product reservoir, including at least one pump; where the device consists of two jaws which are connected by a hinge to move between an open and closed position, which create working surfaces forming hair shaping mechanism and hair treatment zone when the jaws are closed, electrical heating mechanism of treatment area and where the pump is operated by the movements of jaws or working surfaces relative to one another.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention falls in the technical field of hand-held devices used for styling or shaping hair. In the preferred, but not exclusive, application the invention falls in the field of hand-held electrical devices used for drying and/or shaping hair using, in particular, a hot air flow or contact heat in the same way as, including but not limited to, hand-held electrical hard dryers, heated brushes and straightening and curling irons.
2. Description of the Related Art
When hair is styled, as each lock is treated, it may be desirable to apply a cosmetic product to the hair. To do so, a patent FR 2 136 410 described a comb which blows air, the sleeve of which contains an electrical fan to blow air in the direction of a hair treatment area determined by the comb. The sleeve of the comb also includes a pressurized cosmetic fluid reservoir connected by a feed line to a sprayer located in the hair treatment area. In this patent, the sleeve also includes a piston pump activated by a push button to allow the user to spray liquid at the treatment area through a nozzle by pressing on a button with a finger. Such a system actually allows a product to be easily applied to the hair, limiting the risks of wasting cosmetic product. However, this system does not allow precise quantities of the product to be applied and requires the user to press the push button to distribute the product, which is not always easy given the location of the hair to be treated. Further, cosmetic product application is neither consistent nor even. In addition, to treating hair, the user must press the push button many times, which requires relatively significant effort causing some discomfort.
To automatically apply a cosmetic product to hair, a patent EP 1 071 352 described a hair dryer with an ancillary with teeth to shape hair; these teeth include a cosmetic product distribution mechanism which is activated by heat or humidity. In this patent, the teeth form a cavity within which a specific quantity of cosmetic product is stored. Such a hair dryer does indeed allow the automatic application of a small quantity of a cosmetic product without the user having to worry about the quantity of product applied, but suffers from the disadvantage of not being able to ensure the uniform application of the cosmetic product to the hair, as application depends on heat and/or humidity, which could vary significantly depending on the location of the hair treated.
Therefore, there seems to be a need for a hand-held hair styling device which can automatically distribute a cosmetic product without a requirement for the distribution to be triggered by specific user action and without the application being subject to heat or humidity requirements at the area to be treated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve this goal, the invention covers a hand-held hair styling device consisting of:

- a hair shaping or styling mechanism with at least one hair treatment area, and
- a mechanism to distribute a cosmetic product, including:
- a product application mechanism in or near the hair treatment area, and
- a feed line from a cosmetic product reservoir to the application mechanism, including at least one pump.
  Based on the invention, this device has:
- a shaping mechanism which is at least partly mobile, and
- a pump which is activated by moving the hair shaping or styling mechanism.

In a special mode, the invention covers a hand-held hair styling device with a hair shaping or styling mechanism consisting of at least one hair treatment area, a cosmetic product distribution mechanism including a product application mechanism located in or near the hair treatment area, and an application mechanism feed line from a cosmetic product reservoir, including at least one pump, where the shaping mechanism is at least partly mobile, which includes at least one rotating mobile curler, and where each pump is activated by moving rotating mobile curler (M).
The pump, which is designed to be activated automatically by movement of the shaping mechanism, is used to control the quantity of product distributed, the size of the area where hair is treated and, e.g., the length of each lock of hair treated so that the quantity is precisely determined. Further, based on the invention, since cosmetic product supply is based on the mechanical action on the pump, product quantity distributed is not dependent on the heat and humidity of the hair or the hand-held device. Based on the invention, in addition, the device allows a larger quantity of cosmetic product to be distributed or applied than can be applied using a system covered by patent EP 1 071352.
In this invention, “cosmetic product” means a product with one or more active capillary characteristics, in particular, a product as defined in European Directive EC 93/35 of Jun. 14, 1993. In this regard, water in liquid or gaseous form which does not contain any capillary additive does not constitute a cosmetic product for the purposes of the invention.
Based on the invention, the pump may be implemented in any appropriate manner, e.g., as a piston pump in which the alternating piston movement is determined by the movement of the hair shaping mechanism.
In the preferred form, inter alia, in a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention, each pump includes:

- a flexible body with a pumping chamber, and
- at least one pressure organ activated by moving the hair shaping or styling mechanism which is designed to press intermittently or continuously on the flexible body.

Such an implementation allows the pump to be manufactured at least cost. This low manufacturing cost means, in particular, that the flexible body may be changed regularly and treated as a consumable, thereby increasing the hygiene of a device based on the invention.
In the preferred implementation form, the flexible body may be deformed, but will return to its original shape.
Accordingly, squeezing the pressure organ pushes the product out of the pumping chamber while the elasticity of the body is used to suck the product into the pumping chamber when the pressure organ is not pushing on the flexible body. This reversible deformation of the pump body allows the flexible body and movement mechanism to be manufactured at least cost.
In one aspect of this variation, the distribution mechanism between the pump and application mechanism, includes at least one anti-return valve designed to allow movement of the cosmetic product from the pump to application mechanism. Based on the invention, this anti-return valve may be placed between the pump exit and the application mechanism. It may also be integrated into the application mechanism which may, for example, include one or more nozzles, each in the form of two flexible elastic lips which open when the product is squeezed out and which collapse against one another. The application mechanism may be a tube made of silicone or a similar material the nozzles of which consist of watertight slits distributed uniformly around an axis to distribute the cosmetic as evenly as possible. The watertight anti-return distribution valve may also be integrated into the pump exit, in particular, in the body thereof.
In one variation of the preferred implementation form of the invention, the distribution mechanism between the cosmetic product reservoir and the pump includes at least one anti-return valve designed to allow movement of the cosmetic product from the reservoir to the pump. This anti-return aspiration valve may be located in the path between the pump and the reservoir. The anti-return valve may also be integrated into the reservoir or the entrance to the pump, in particular, in the body thereof.
Based on the invention, the flexible body of each pump may consist of a reservoir with sufficient product quantity to allow multiple product doses to be distributed and which, in particular, holds sufficient product to ensure a complete treatment sequence. In this case, the flexible body may be disposable and could be replaced after each use of this ancillary unit. The flexible pump body may form a single assembly with the feed line and distribution nozzle, all of which could also be replaced each time the reservoir is emptied.
However, such an implementation mode is not a requirement of the invention. Therefore, in accordance with one characteristic of the invention, the distribution mechanism includes a cosmetic product reservoir located upstream of each pump. This separate pump reservoir increases the independence of the device based on the invention.
Accordingly, based on the invention, the reservoir may be removable or fixed.
The reservoir may be a flexible, non-elastic sack, preferably without a vent. The sack has no elastic resistance and allows atmospheric pressure to be transferred to the cosmetic content. Such a reservoir is inexpensive.
If the device based on the invention includes a reservoir, the distribution mechanism may include at least one opening to refill the reservoir. Such an opening may be used to refill the reservoir when, in particular, it is not removable.
Based on the invention, the hand-held hair styling device may be implemented in various ways; preferable, a device based on the invention would be a hand-held electrical hair styling device. Accordingly, a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention may include an electrical mechanism to heat the treatment area. A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention may also include an electrical mechanism to blow air on the treatment area.
A hair styling device based on the invention may, for example, be designed to allow shaping or straightening by heating hair by contact and form, inter alia, a curling iron or straightener. Accordingly, in one implementation variation, the hand-held hair styling device includes two jaws which are connected using a hinge so that they can shift between open and closed positions. They include working surfaces which form the hair shaping mechanism and form the hair treatment area when the jaws are closed. Each pump is then activated by movements of the jaws or the working surfaces against one another.
In such a straightener or curling iron configuration: a longitudinal pressure organ is located on the jaw facing the jaw containing the fluid distribution mechanism. This longitudinal pressure organ is oriented with respect to the cosmetic distribution mechanism to come into contact with this mechanism when the device is closed. The organ may be a rigid, parallelepiped rod attached to the distribution mechanism. The organ may also include a thin layer of foam on its external surface. This layer allows uniform distribution of the cosmetic on the two application surfaces designed to press against the hair when the fluid is distributed.
The pump may be deactivated by the user: to this end, in the straightener version, the pressure organ attached to the jaw facing the jaw containing the sack may be moved and lifted through the jaw housing by a user who would like use the device without the cosmetic application.
In this variation, the hair styling device may include an electrical heating mechanism attached to at least one of the working surfaces. Also in this variation, the hand-held hair styling device may include a mechanism to activate each pump which is designed to do so after a predetermined number of consecutive times the jaws are opened and closed. The implementation of such an activation mechanism means that, to allow optimum cosmetic product dosage, the pump will not be activated with each closing/opening cycle. Such an implementation is particularly suited to an application mechanism made of felt or a porous material through which the cosmetic product is distributed.
Finally, in this variation, the working surfaces may be flat or curved, as long as the shapes basically complement one another.
In another variation of the invention, the hair shaping or styling mechanism includes at least one rotating mobile curler. The curler will preferably be mobile, rotating on its longitudinal axis. Accordingly, the hair shaping or styling mechanism may include a smooth roller, a fluted or textured roller, or a roller with bristles which form a rotating brush. The brush may then be attached to a electrical fan system to form a blowing brush. The rotation of the roller on the shaping mechanism may be used with or to activate the pump.
Of course, the various characteristics, variants and implementation forms of the invention may be used with one other in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In addition, various other characteristics of the invention are shown in the attached description, which refers to diagrams which show some, but not all, of the implementation forms of a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a hair styling device based on the invention forming an electrical hair straightener shown with its jaws in the open position.

FIG. 2 is a partial cut-away perspective, based on line II-II of FIG. 1, of the hair styling device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal cut-away view of the hair styling device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 and shows a variation of the implementation of the hair styling device based on the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an assembly consisting of the cosmetic distribution mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a diagram similar to FIG. 4 which shows a variation of implementation of the hair styling device based on the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a mechanism in a hair styling device based on the invention which activates the pump after a predetermined number of consecutive times the shaping mechanism is opened and closed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a peristaltic pump activated by the cosmetic product distribution mechanism of a hair styling device based on the invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of the transfer mechanism to change an alternating opening-closing movement of a hair styling device based on the invention into rotation to activate the peristaltic pump shown in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are illustrations of two types of pumps used in the cosmetic distribution mechanism based on the invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention forming a curling iron.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention forming a heated and/or blowing electrical brush.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention forming a curling iron for large curls.

The references in the attached figures refer to items common to various implementation forms and/or variants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention could be implemented in various ways depending on its purpose and the type of hair treatment to be used.
Accordingly, a hair styling device based on the invention may be a straightener, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, jointly referred to as reference A. Hair styling device A includes one, long jaw 1, in a general parallelepiped form, which extends along longitudinal axis L. The hair styling device A also includes a second jaw 2, which is also long and extends along longitudinal axis L′. Jaws 1 and 2 are connected at one end by hinge or pivot joint 4 along axis Ω. Accordingly, jaws 1 and 2 pivot and move between open position 0, as shown in FIG. 1, and a closed position (not shown).
Hair styling device A includes hair shaping mechanism M which, in the example shown, includes for each jaw 1 and 2, one working surface, respectively S1 and S2, near one end of the corresponding jaw opposite connection 4. Working surfaces S1 and S2 face each other and extend only party along the length of jaws 1 and 2 to create, when closed, hair treatment zone Z. Along with jaws 1 and 2 which hold them, working surfaces S1 and S2 create mobile shaping mechanism M, as used in the invention.
Based on the example shown, the shoulders of the two jaws 1 and 2 also help create P1 and P2, located between working surfaces S1 and S2 and joint 4 which hinge or pivot gripping mechanism P of hair styling device A. Accordingly, since jaws 1 and 2 are hinged, working surface S2 is mobile with respect to section P1 of the gripping mechanism formed by jaw 1, while working surface S1 is mobile with respect to section P2 of the gripping mechanism formed by jaw 2, so that shaping mechanism M is partly mobile with respect to part of gripping mechanism P.
In the example shown, each working surface S1 and S2 is generally rectangular and implemented using a conductive thermal material with a surface state designed to be placed into contact with hair without risking damage to it. Accordingly, each working surface S1 and S2 could, for example, be polished smooth or coated with enamel, ceramic, polymer or enamel (e.g., with a low coefficient of friction) or even a layer of glass.
In the example, working surfaces S1 and S2 are formed by two straightening plates, 5 and 6, respectively. Straightening plates 5 and 6 are each attached to electrical heating mechanism 7 in contact with the rear surface of the corresponding plate, located opposite working surface S1 and S2 as shown in FIG. 2. The electrical heating mechanism may be implemented in any appropriate manner, e.g., as a heating element resistant to CTP and infrared. Therefore, electrical heating mechanism 7 is located within jaws 1 and 2. The heating mechanism is connected by cable 10 to a power supply, e.g., an electrical distribution network. Cable 10 provides power to control mechanism 11 which allows a user to select the recommended temperature. In addition, power could also be supplied to hair styling device A by batteries located within one or both jaws 1 and 2. Similarly, the heating mechanism could also be designed to automatically maintain a predetermined target temperature. The implementation modes of the heating mechanism and a possible control unit are well known in the art and, therefore, do not require further description for the purposes of this invention.
Based on an essential characteristic of the invention, hair styling device A also includes of distribution mechanism 20 for cosmetic fluid products (in liquid or paste form) so that they may be automatically applied to the hair when device A is used. Distribution mechanism 20 includes application mechanism 21 which, as shown in FIG. 2, is located adjacent to straightening plate 6 to create hair treatment zone Z. Reservoir V may be located beneath straightening plate 6 to reduce interference caused by the handle and slightly heat the cosmetic fluid for optimal application.
Application mechanism 21 is connected to product reservoir 22 by feed line 23, as shown more precisely in FIG. 3. To feed application mechanism 21, distribution mechanism 20 includes, upstream from application mechanism 21, pump 24, which is located on feed line 23 between reservoir 22 and application mechanism 21.
Based on an essential characteristic of the invention, pump 24 is activating by moving shaping mechanism M and, in this case by the alternating movement of working surfaces S1 and S2, in particular, jaws 1 and 2, as hair styling device A is opened and closed. Accordingly, the product is fed to application mechanism 21 automatically using the movements of jaws 1 and 2. In the example in FIG. 3, pump 24 includes rigid body 26 which creates, with piston 27, pumping chamber 28 connected to both reservoir 22 and application mechanism 21 by corresponding segments of feed line 23. Piston 27 is connected to at least one spring 29 (in the example, two springs are shown). Piston 27 has a shaft 30 which protrudes outside jaw 2 so that its free end 31 provides a support surface for jaw 1. Accordingly, when jaw 1 is closed against jaw 2, the first jaw pushes on shaft 30 so that the downward movement of piston 27 decreases the volume of chamber pumping 28. When jaw 1 is open, the pressure on shaft 30 is released and piston 27 is pushed back by springs 29, which increases the volume of pumping chamber 28. To provide a pumping effect, the distribution mechanism includes on the distribution channel upstream from pump 24, between reservoir 22 and pump 24, an anti-return valve 35 designed to allow product movement from reservoir 22 to pump 24 and not the reverse. Similarly, distribution mechanism 20 includes, between the exterior and pump 24, at least one or multiple (as shown in the example) anti-return valves 36 designed to allow product movement from pump 24 to application mechanism 21 and the exterior, but not the reverse. Accordingly, anti-return valves 36 prevent aspiration of air. In the example shown, anti-return valves 36 are each formed by the two elastics lips of a cosmetic product application nozzle so that there are as many anti-return valves 36 as nozzles.
Accordingly, the product in reservoir 22 is automatically fed to application mechanism 21 without the user having to worry about this distribution or the quantity distributed.
In the example shown in FIG. 3, reservoir 22 is designed to be removable from housing 45 of the hair styling device. Accordingly, the user may easily refill the device by simply replacing reservoir 22 which connects to waste pathway 46 protected within housing 45.
In the example shown previously in FIGS. 1 and 2, body 26 of pump 24 is rigid. However, such a rigid body 26 is not necessary to implement a pump based on the invention. Accordingly, FIG. 4 shows a variation of the implementation of the hair styling device in which body 26 of pump 24 is implemented with an elastic flexible material. The pump 24 used may be a pump called “flat valve”, as shown in FIG. 10. Such a pump is compact, durable and low-cost. Jaw 1 then includes pressure organ 47 which presses on body 26 when jaws 1 and 2 are closed. The pressure applied by pressure organ 47 on flexible body 26 causes the product that it contains to be pushed to application mechanism 21. Pressure organ 47 may be mounted on spring 47′, the strength of which is selected to ensure controlled distribution of the fluid through application mechanism 21, which consists of, for example, one or more longitudinal application tubes 21. The organ exerts a force on the pump valve dome as shown in FIG. 10. When the pressure of pressure organ 47 is released as jaws 1 and 2 are opened, elastic flexible body 26 then naturally returns to its original shape, which helps aspirate the product from reservoir 22 in pumping chamber 28 through anti-return valve 35. Pressure organ 47 may be raised to prevent cosmetic distribution, at the user's election; this option is shown in FIG. 4, but is foreseen in all curling iron implementation modes.
Multiple alternative pumps may be used. One mode is the flat valve pump shown in FIGS. 10 and 4. A second mode is a peristaltic pump with multiple rollers, as shown in FIG. 8. The peristaltic pump may be a manual peristaltic pump as shown in FIG. 11. Force F is exerted by a pressure organ, initially, roller 26′ presses against the channel to make it water tight, and, then, curved intermediate pressure organ 26″ pushes against the channel to increase the amount of cosmetic in the direction shown to application mechanism 21. Such a pump is compact and low-cost.
The implementation variation shown in FIG. 4 also differs from the variation described in FIGS. 1 to 3, in that application mechanism 21 is formed by chamber 48, which opens to the exterior through a series of application nozzles 49. In the invention, a distribution nozzle may be formed by any opening of any shape designed to allow the movement of the treatment product to the exterior and, in particular, to the hair of the user of hair styling device A. These nozzles may be highly water-right vents, manufactured using the “split vent” process using pipe extrusion. Chamber 48 may be one or more tubes parallel the one another, made of silicone or a similar material the nozzles 49 of which are water-tight vents uniformly distributed axially to distribute the cosmetic as evenly as possible. It should be noted that distribution or application nozzles 49 could also be replaced or supplemented with a porous material such as an alveolar synthetic with open alveoli or felt. This material may be open-cell foam, the direction of the openings of which faces the nozzles toward the outside surface which is designed to be in contact with hair. Pressure organ 47 may be raised to prevent cosmetic distribution, at the user's election; this option is shown in FIG. 4, but is foreseen in all curling iron implementation modes.
In the example shown in FIG. 3, reservoir 22 is removable. However, based on the invention, reservoir 22 could be an integral part of hair styling device A and not be removable, as shown in FIG. 4. In this example, reservoir 22 then includes refill opening 50 designed to accept refilling pathway 51 of cosmetic product refill tube 52. In this example, refill opening 50 is equipped with anti-return valve 53 to prevent product leakage after refilling reservoir 22.
In the implementation forms described above, pump 24 is activated each time hair styling device A is closed. However, such a frequency for pump 24 to work is not necessary to implement distribution mechanism 20 based on the invention. Depending on the type of application mechanism 21 used, it may be desirable to only trigger the pump after a predetermined number of times jaws 1 and 2 are opened and closed. To do so, the invention provides for an implementation variation, using activation mechanism 60, which is designed to activate each hair styling device pump after a predetermined number of consecutive opening and closing movements. Depending on the mechanism and in the example shown in FIG. 7, activation mechanism 60 includes a mobile intermediate finger 61 which moves between rest position R as shown in FIG. 7 (in solid lines) and working position T (in dotted lines). In working position T, intermediate finger 61 is placed between pressure organ 47 and flexible body 26 of the pump so pressure may be exerted on body 26 when jaws 1 and 2 are closed. In rest position R, intermediate finger 61 is not in contact with pressure organ 47 and flexible body 26 so that, when the jaws are closed, no pressure is exerted on flexible body 26 of the pump. Intermediate finger 61 is also moved by cam 62 which rotates using sprocket wheel system 63, which transforms the opening/closing movements of the jaws into a rotation of cam 62 in the direction of arrow F1. Accordingly, Cam 62 has protuberances 64 designed to push intermediate finger 61 periodically while it is held in the resting position by spring 65. Protuberances 64 are, in the example shown, arranged around cam 62 to move intermediate finger 61 every two times hair styling device A is closed so that pump 24 is activated every second time.
Based on the invention, the pump of application mechanism 21 need not be an alternative action pump as described above. The pump of application mechanism 21 may be peristaltic pump 24 (pump 2) as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11. In the implementation example shown in FIG. 8, body 26 is implemented in the form of a flexible elastic tube arranged in an arc against which pressure bodies 70 spaced evenly around wheel 71 push. Activation mechanism 60 then includes sprocket wheel system 72, including wheel 73 connected to anti-return ratchet 74. The wheel is rotated by finger 75 which is part of jaw 1. Finger 75 is designed to push on wheel 73 to move it in the direction of arrow F3 when jaw 1 is closed to allow jaw 1 to be opened, while the rotation of wheel in the opposite direction of arrow F3 is prevented by anti-return ratchet 74. Therefore, sprocket wheel system 72 converts the opening/closing movements of the jaws into a rotation of wheel 73, which is connected to wheel 71 to operate pump 24. Alternatively, this pump may be a manual peristaltic pump as shown in FIG. 10 with a movement organ that moves between two positions: one for water tightness; the other to displace the fluid.
FIG. 5 shows a fluid movement diagram for all pump versions. The fluid is held in interchangeable or refillable reservoir 22. This reservoir has a fluid pathway to pump 24. Flexible intermediary tube silicone 24′ is connected in series with pump 24 (shown downstream from it, but it could be upstream) which strengths and increases the operation and volume displaced by pump 24. This tube is so flexible that it may expand to create an intermediate cosmetic reserve. The flexibility of this intermediary tube is due to its thinness, approx. 1 mm (usually 2 mm). This allows elastic expansion to increase the amount of the cosmetic (like blowing up a balloon) to allow cosmetic distribution over a much longer period of time (up to twice as long)—and more even distribution even for the longest locks of hair. Intermediary tube 17 is followed by anti-return valve 36, with the silicone tube representing application mechanism 21.
In the previous example, working surfaces S1 and S2 are basically flat. However, working surfaces S1 and S2 may take other forms which complement one another. The working surfaces may, for example, each be curved. Accordingly, a hair styling device based on the invention could be a curling iron as shown in FIG. 12.
In this implementation, the portion of jaw 1 located next to the electrical cable creates gripping mechanism P. Working surface S1, located opposite gripping mechanism P, is basically a rotating cylinder and is connected to a heating mechanism (not shown). Working surface S1 also mounts cosmetic product distribution or application nozzles 49. Jaws 1 and 2 are hinged on one end between gripping mechanism P and working surface S1. Working surface S2 is shaped like a tile and is designed match the shape of working surface S1. In this example, working surface S2 is not attached to a heating mechanism. Opposite working surface S2 relative to hinge or pivot 4, jaw 2 includes activation arm or organ 70 which allows hair styling device A to be opened. When jaw 2 is opened, activation arm 70 then pushes on shaft 30 of pump 24 (not shown in FIG. 8) to ensure product distribution through nozzles 49. The pump may be implemented as described in FIG. 3, while the application mechanism may be implemented as described in FIG. 4.
A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention need not necessarily be a straightener or curling iron as described above, but may also be a rotating brush as shown in FIG. 13. For gripping mechanism P, hair styling device A then includes sleeve 80 which, for shaping mechanism M, contains mobile curler 81 which rotates relative to sleeve 80. Curler 81 includes cosmetic product application mechanism 21 which is fed by peristaltic pump 24, as shown in FIG. 8, wheel 71 of which is activated by the rotation of curler 81. Curler 81 also includes bristles to form a rotating brush. The curler is hollow with transverse openings for air blown by motorized fan assembly 82. Such a hair styling device may then include a motor to rotate brush 81 and electrical air blowing mechanism 82. Alternatively, a flat valve pump as shown in FIG. 10 could be used with a finger designed to push on the flat valve pump with each complete rotation of the body of brush 81. In another alternative, a manual peristaltic pump as shown in FIG. 11 could be used with a finger designed to push on the pump with each complete rotation of the body of brush 81.
FIG. 14 shows another form of implementation of a hand-held hair styling device consisting of, in this example, a ring the implementation mechanism M of which includes, first, rotating mobile curler 85 and, second, jaw 86 designed to pinch the lock of hair to be treated against curler 85. Sleeve 80 of the device includes a hot-air blowing mechanism (not shown). Sleeve 80 of the device also includes part of the cosmetic product distribution mechanism, in particular, the reservoir and pump (not shown) to feed application mechanism 21 located in the portion of jaw 86 next to curler 85. The rotation of curler 85 is then used to operate the pump and feed application mechanism 21. The pump may then be a peristaltic pump as described in FIG. 8. In the example in FIG. 14, curler 85 is rotated manually using button knob 87 located on the free end of curler 85. However, curler 85 could also be rotated using an electrical motor in sleeve 80.
Of course, various other modifications may be made to a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention under the attached claims.

Claims

1. A hand-held hair styling device consisting of:

a hair shaping or styling mechanism with at least one hair treatment zone which is at least partly mobile;

a cosmetic product distribution mechanism with:

a product application mechanism located in or near the hair treatment zone, and

a feed line communicating between the application mechanism and a cosmetic product reservoir, including at least one pump,

said hair styling device further including:

two jaws connected by a hinge to move between open and closed positions, said jaws include working surfaces, which form the hair shaping mechanism and create the hair treatment zone when the jaws are closed, and include a heating electrical mechanism of the treatment area, and wherein

the pump is operated by movements of jaws or working surfaces against one another.

2. The hair styling device based on claim 1 in which each of the at least one pump consists of:

a flexible body which creates a pumping chamber, and

at least one pressure organ operated by movement of hair shaping or styling mechanism designed to press intermittently or continuously against a flexible body.

3. The hair styling device based on claim 2 in which the flexible body is made of flexible elastic.

4. The hair styling device based claim 1 in which the distribution mechanism includes the cosmetic product reservoir located upstream from each pump.

5. The hair styling device based on claim 4 in which the distribution mechanism includes at least one anti-return valve between the cosmetic product reservoir and pump designed to allow cosmetic product movement from the reservoir to the pump.

6. The hair styling device based on claim 4 in which the distribution mechanism includes at least one anti-return valve between the pump and the application mechanism designed to allow cosmetic product movement from the pump to the application mechanism.

7. The hair styling device based on claim 4 in which the reservoir is removable.

8. The hair styling device based on claim 4 in which the distribution mechanism includes at least one opening to refill the reservoir.

9. The hair styling device of claim 1 which includes an electrical mechanism to blow air toward the treatment area.

10. The hair styling device based on claim 1 which includes an electrical heating mechanism attached to at least one of the working surfaces.

11. The hair styling device based on claim 1 which includes an activation mechanism for each pump which is designed to activate each pump after a predetermined number of consecutive opening and closing movements of the jaws.

12. The hair styling device based on claim 1 in which the working surfaces are flat or curved in forms which essentially complement one another.