US20210120932A1

US20210120932A1 - Portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair

Info

Publication number: US20210120932A1
Application number: US16/664,811
Authority: US
Inventors: Hyun Han
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-10-26
Filing date: 2019-10-26
Publication date: 2021-04-29

Abstract

A portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair is disclosed. The portable steamer is comprised of a main body, a lid connected to one side of the main body by a hinge and configured to cover/uncover a flat surface formed at the other side of the main body, a water tank connected at the bottom of the main body and configured to hold a water therein, a hair setting groove formed at the flat surface of the main body, and a heater formed inside the water tank and configured to boil the water and generate a steam.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair. More specifically, the proposed apparatus is used to set a specific shape of synthetic braiding hair by generating hot water steam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hair styles for women have changed for many years according to the new trends continuously emerge in hair design industries. Also, the development of synthetic fiber materials has aided the introduction of new hair products to the beauty and hair design market.
The synthetic braiding hair products are normally attached to natural human hair by braiding or stitching with a special hair needle. To provide various pre-defined hair styles of synthetic braiding hair product, manufacturers utilize the fiber that is capable of maintaining the shape when it is heated around 100 degree Celsius. One of the easiest ways to apply heat to the fiber is to use the boiling water.
When the fiber is heated up at this specific temperature range, the form and the shape of the fiber at the moment is fixed. This process is called “hot water setting”, and it is very common method in synthetic braiding hair styling.
The synthetic hair user also can use “hot water setting” to create and maintain his/her own hair style. For example, when the synthetic hair is braided, the user can dip it into a boiling water to set its shape. Besides fixing the shape and style itself, the hot water setting is also considered not only to seal the ends of fibers, but also clean it up as well.
But there is a serious safety issue in the use of hot water setting on the synthetic hair personally. Due to no adequate equipment introduced in market yet, most of the user simply use a cup or a bowel that withstands the hot temperature of the water. After the water is boiled, the synthetic hair is dipped into the boiling water. This is very unsafe and, at this moment, it is very likely that the skin gets burned by the water. Also, when using this method, it is almost impossible to apply the heat to the synthetic hair near the scalp area, then less favorable style is made. Normally, in hot water setting, there needs another person who assists the process.
There are not many previous inventions disclosed regarding the steamer for hot water setting of the synthetic braiding hair. US application No. 2011/0030715 A1 disclosed a curl activator hair steamer. Appearing almost like an electric kettle, it will hold water and have a Small spout-like opening by the top. The very top of the appliance will have a small lid so that the water may be added. This prior art is not capable of generating hot steam to the synthetic hair in a controlled way. The shape of kettle pot is more intended to use in general purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,213 disclosed a steamer attachment for a hair curler. An attachment is provided for converting a table top steamer into an apparatus for steam treatment of the body. The attachment comprises an approximately cylindrical conduit having open ends and a plurality of conduit divides the steam jet discharged from the steamer into three streams and diffuses and cools the steam in each of these streams, thereby allowing the face and both hands of the user may be simultaneously steam treated. The invention is placed on the flat surface or ground and the user is not able to use it portably. The steam generated by this apparatus is very difficult to apply near scalp area. Also, the invention disclosed the attachment apparatus that was installed onto the hair curl steamer, which is not identical to the present invention to be disclosed.
The first objective of the present invention is to suggest a portable steamer such that the steam generated inside the steamer is used for hot water setting of synthetic braiding hair. The steamer is configured to have a hair setting groove that holds the synthetic braiding hair. The steam is applied locally only around the groove. The steamer is very safe to use even close to the scalp and prevent any risk of skin burn. The steamer can be used by oneself without need of extra person's assistance.
The second objective of the present invention is to suggest the portable steamer that is configured to have a plurality of hair setting grooves and be changeable so that multiple and different size of synthetic braiding hair can be treated simultaneously.

BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, there is provided a portable steamer comprised of a main body, a lid connected to one side of the main body by a hinge and configured to cover/uncover a flat surface formed at the other side of the main body, a water tank connected at the bottom of the main body and configured to hold a water therein, a hair setting groove formed at the flat surface of the main body, and a heater connected at the bottom of the main body and submerged to the water in the water tank.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, the lid is configured to cover/uncover the flat surface of the main body by pivoting motion around the hinge. The water tank is configured to be detachable from the main body so that the water can be refilled. The hair setting groove is configured to have a plurality of holes so that the steam generated inside the water tank comes out therethrough. And the heater is configured to and configured to boil the water in the water tank and generate a steam.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, the main body is further comprised of an up-button formed on the side of the main body and configured to increase an amount of steam generation, a down-button formed on the side of the main body and configured to decrease the amount of steam generation, and a screen formed on the side of the main body and configured to display the amount of steam generation.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment, a plurality of hair setting grooves may be formed at the flat surface of the main body so that multiple synthetic braiding hairs can be treated simultaneously. And, the hair setting groove is configured to be detachable from the flat surface of the main body so that different sizes of the hair setting groove can be attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be intended to limit its scope, the disclosure will be described with specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view and an unfolded view of a plurality of holes in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view of the apparatus in use in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a plurality of hair setting grooves in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a detachable hair setting groove in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair in accordance with another illustrative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments and examples will be described in detail so that inventive concept may be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. However, it is to be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative embodiments and examples but can be visualized in various other ways. In drawings, parts not directly relevant to the description are omitted to enhance the clarity of the drawings, and like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the whole document.
Throughout the whole document, the term “on” that is used to designate a position of one element with respect to another element includes both a case that the one element is adjacent to the other element and a case that any other element exists between these two elements.
The terms “comprises or includes” and/or “comprising or including” used in the document means that one or more other components, steps, operations and/or existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operations and/or elements unless context dictates otherwise. The terms “about or approximately” or “substantially” are intended to have meanings close to numerical values or ranges specified with an allowable error and intended to prevent accurate or absolute numerical values disclosed for understanding of the present disclosure from being illegally or unfairly used by any unconscionable third party. Throughout the whole document, the term “step of” does not mean “step for”.
Throughout the whole document, the term “combination of” included in the Markush type description means a mixture or combination of one or more components, steps, operations and/or elements selected from the group consisting of components, steps, operations and/or elements described in the Markush type and thereby means that the disclosure includes one or more components, steps, operations and/or elements selected from the Markush group.
Furthermore, in the following description of illustrative embodiments, terms related to a direction or a position (upper side, lower side, up and down directions, etc.) are defined with respect to the arrangement state of individual components shown in drawings. For example, the “upper side” and the “lower side” may be defined as the upper side and the lower side when viewed from FIG. 1, that is, the “left side” and the “right side” on a paper plane. However, it should be noted that when the illustrative embodiment is practically applied, the components may be arranged in various directions with the upper side and the lower side reversed, for example.
Below, illustrative embodiments and examples of the present disclosure will be described in detail.
With reference to FIG. 1, a portable steamer 10 for synthetic braiding hair is comprised of a main body 11, a lid 12 connected to one side of the main body 11 by a hinge 13 and configured to cover/uncover a flat surface 14 formed at the other side of the main body 11, a water tank 15 connected at the bottom of the main body 11 and configured to hold a water therein, a hair setting groove 16 formed at the flat surface 14 of the main body 11, and a heater 17 connected at the bottom of the main body 11 and submerged to the water in the water tank 15.
The lid 12 is configured to cover/uncover the flat surface 14 of the main body 11 by pivoting motion around the hinge 13.
The water tank 15 is configured to be detachable from the main body 11 so that the water can be refilled.
With reference to FIG. 1, The main body 11 further comprises an up-button 19 formed on the side of the main body 11 and configured to increase an amount of steam generation, a down-button 20 formed on the side of the main body 11 and configured to decrease the amount of steam generation, and a screen 21 formed on the side of the main body 11 and configured to display the amount of steam generation.
With reference to FIG. 2, the hair setting groove 16 is configured to have a plurality of holes 18 so that the steam generated inside the water tank 15 comes out therethrough.
Also, a surface of the hair setting groove 22 may be coated by ceramic material so that the synthetic braided hair slides along the hair setting groove 16 smoothly.
The heater 17 is configured to boil the water in the water tank 15 and generate a steam.
Also, the heater 17 is configured to shut down electrical power when the water inside the water tank 15 is empty.
More specifically, the detailed description of the steamer 10 is disclosed as follows with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
When a power switch 23 is turned on, the heater 17 starts boil the water inside the water tank 15. The boiling water becomes a hot steam and passes through a chamber 24 inside the main body 11, and comes out through the plurality of holes 18 formed around the surface of the hair setting groove 22.
The intensity of the steam may be controlled by adjusting the up and down button 19, 20 formed on the side of the main body 11. The screen 21 may display the amount of steam generation by numerical values such that the lower number represents a small amount of steam generation and the higher number represents a larger amount of steam generation.
The FIG. 3 shows the exemplary view of the apparatus in use. Synthetic braiding hair is placed in the hair setting groove 16. When steam starts coming out through the plurality of holes 18, the user can gently slide the steamer 10 along the braided hair to apply steam evenly. The ceramic coating on the surface of the hair setting groove 22 may reduce friction onto the braided hair so that the steamer 10 can slide along therethrough smoothly.
With reference to FIG. 4, the steamer 10 may further comprise a plurality of hair setting grooves 25 formed at the flat surface of the main body so that multiple synthetic braiding hairs can be treated simultaneously.
With the use of the plurality of hair setting grooves 25, the steamer 10 can hold more than one braided hair and reduce overall hot water setting time.
With reference to FIG. 5, the steamer 10 may further comprise that the hair setting groove 16 is configured to be detachable from the flat surface 14 of the main body so that different sizes of the hair setting groove can be attached.
With various sizes of the hair setting groove 16 available, the different thickness of the braided hair can be treated by swapping it, if necessary.
The embodiment described above is effectively applicable to fix the shape of synthetic braided hair. To carry out the functionality of the present invention in curly hair with the use of steam in hot water setting, another illustrative embodiment and example of the present disclosure may be described as follows.
With reference to FIG. 6, a portable steamer 10 for synthetic braiding hair is comprised of a main body 51, a water tank 52 connected at the bottom of the main body 51 and configured to hold a water therein, a hair setting chamber 53 formed at one end of the main body 51, and a heater 54 connected at the bottom of the main body 51 and submerged to the water in the water tank 52. The water tank 52 is configured to be detachable from the main body 51 so that the water can be refilled.
The hair setting chamber 53 is formed as a tube type and configured to have a plurality of holes 55 around an inner diameter thereof 53 so that a steam generated inside the water tank 52 comes out therethrough.
A plurality of curling rods 56 is configured to make a curly shape onto a plurality of synthetic fibers 57 and inserted to the hair setting chamber 53 to form the curly shape with hot water setting.
A bottom lid 58 is attached at the bottom of the hair setting chamber 53 and configured to close a bottom opening of the hair setting chamber and hold the plurality of synthetic fibers or the plurality of curling rods inside the hair setting chamber.
The steamer 10 may be further comprised of a plurality of steam buttons 59 formed on the side of the main body 51 and configured to adjust an amount of steam generation such as high, medium, and low. A steam temperature button 60 is also formed on the side of the main body 51 and configured to adjust the temperature of steam generation.
A surface of the inner diameter of the hair setting chamber 53 may be coated by ceramic material so that the synthetic braided hair slides along the hair setting groove smoothly.
The heater 54 is configured to shut down electrical power when the water inside the water tank is empty.
The description above of the illustrative embodiments is provided for the purpose of illustration, and it would be understood by those skilled in this profession so that various changes and modifications may be made without changing technical concepts and essential features of the illustrative embodiments. Thus, it is clear that the illustrative embodiments described above are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure. For example, each component described to be of a single type can be implemented in a distributed manner. Likewise, components described to be distributed can be implemented in a combined manner.
The scope of the inventive concept is defined by the following claims and their equivalents rather than by the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments. It shall be understood that all modifications and embodiments conceived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are included in the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

We claim:

1. A portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair comprising:

a main body;

a lid connected to one side of the main body by a hinge and configured to cover/uncover a flat surface formed at the other side of the main body;

a water tank connected at the bottom of the main body and configured to hold a water therein;

a hair setting groove formed at the flat surface of the main body; and,

a heater connected at the bottom of the main body and submerged to the water in the water tank.

2. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the lid is configured to cover/uncover the flat surface of the main body by pivoting motion around the hinge.

3. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the water tank is configured to be detachable from the main body so that the water can be refilled.

4. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the hair setting groove is configured to have a plurality of holes so that a steam generated inside the water tank comes out therethrough.

5. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the heater is configured to boil the water in the water tank and generate the steam.

6. An apparatus of claim 1,

the main body further comprises:

an up-button formed on the side of the main body and configured to increase an amount of steam generation;

a down-button formed on the side of the main body and configured to decrease the amount of steam generation; and,

a screen formed on the side of the main body and configured to display the amount of steam generation.

7. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a plurality of hair setting grooves may be formed at the flat surface of the main body so that multiple synthetic braiding hairs can be treated simultaneously.

8. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the hair setting groove is configured to be detachable from the flat surface of the main body so that different sizes of the hair setting groove can be attached.

9. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a surface of the hair setting groove is coated by ceramic material so that the synthetic braided hair slides along the hair setting groove smoothly.

10. An apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the heater is configured to shut down electrical power when the water inside the water tank is empty.

11. A portable steamer for synthetic braiding hair comprising:

a main body;

a hair setting chamber formed at one end of the main body; and,

12. An apparatus of claim 11,

13. An apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the hair setting chamber is formed as a tube type and configured to have a plurality of holes around an inner diameter thereof so that a steam generated inside the water tank comes out therethrough; and,

wherein a plurality of curling rods is configured to make a curly shape onto a plurality of synthetic fibers and inserted to the hair setting chamber to form the curly shape with hot water setting.

14. An apparatus of claim 13,

wherein a bottom lid is attached at the bottom of the hair setting chamber and configured to close a bottom opening of the hair setting chamber and hold the plurality of synthetic fibers or the plurality of curling rods inside the hair setting chamber.

15. An apparatus of claim 11,

the main body further comprises:

a plurality of steam buttons formed on the side of the main body and configured to adjust an amount of steam generation; and,

a steam temperature button formed on the side of the main body and configured to adjust the temperature of steam generation.

16. An apparatus of claim 11,

wherein a surface of the inner diameter of the hair setting chamber is coated by ceramic material so that the synthetic braided hair slides along the hair setting groove smoothly.

17. An apparatus of claim 11,