WO2013005150A1

WO2013005150A1 - Hair styling device with improved heating means

Info

Publication number: WO2013005150A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/053325
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hannes Uwe Floessholzer
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2011-07-06
Filing date: 2012-06-29
Publication date: 2013-01-10

Abstract

A hair styling device for straightening and /or for curling hairs comprises at least one heating mean (2). A soft material layer (4) is provided onto the at least one heating mean (2). During the use of the device the hairs can be embedded in the soft material layer (4) and the pressure force of the device is dispensed over the whole contact surface of the heating mean (2). This prevents the hair from mechanical damage due to clamping.

Description

Hair styling device with improved heating means

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of hair styling devices, and more specially to the heating means of hair straighteners and hair curlers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hairstyling has been always an important factor for human beings for obtaining a decent or attractive appearance.

Over the past sereval years, extensive efforts have been made to improve the various hair styling devices like hair straighteners and hair curlers, which are used with the application of heat for styling of hair. Usually the hair straighteners and hair curlers have heating means which are used for heating up the hair to a temperature at which the hair can be temporally formed. At this temperature it is possible to straighten curly hair or to bring curls into straight hair.

Common heating means of hair straighteners, e.g. heating plates, or hair curlers, e.g. curling iron, are made of metal, in most cases aluminum, which are specailly coated with a hard material, e.g. chrome or ceramic, to reduce friction between the hairs and the heating means.

During the straightening or curling of the hair with a hair straightener a bundle of hair is clamped between the heating means of the straightener. For straigthtening the hair with a hair straightener the hair is clamped between the heating means and the user moves the straightener away from the head. If the user uses a hair straightener for curling hairs, the hairs are clamped between the heating means and the user is curling the hairs with the straightener to make curls, and then the user moves the straightener away from the head. By moving the straightener away from the head, the hairs are charged with a certain pulling force due to friction between hairs and heating means. At the end of the hair bundle less hairs are between the heating means. The clamp forces of the heating means stay the same. The contact pressure onto the remaining hairs increases to a value so that it comes to a slip stick effect which leads to plucking. Due to the plucking of the hairs between the heating means the hair structure gets damaged. The result are split ends and broken hairs. Here, the term plucking means that due to the friction between the hair and the heating means, the clamped hairs are pulled by the straightener, when the user moves the straightener away from the head. Further, it is also possible that a sound appears, when the straightener is moved away from the head. This sound is unpleasant for the user.

During the curling of the hair with a hair curler a bundle of hairs is curled up onto the heating mean of the hair curler to make curls and optionally the hairs are clamped by a clamping device onto the heating mean. The user moves the hair curler away from the head. Thereby, the hairs are charged with a certain pulling force due to friction between hairs and heating mean. Due to the plucking of the hairs the hair structure gets damaged. The result are split ends and broken hairs. Here, the term plucking means that due to the friction between the hairs and the heating mean, the hairs are pulled by the curler, when the user moves the curler away from the head. Further, it is also possible that a sound appears, when the curler is moved away from the head. This sound is unpleasant for the user.

The British patent application GB 2 167 953 describes a hair curler which has a non-conductive sleeve around the heating mean to reduce the friction between the hair and the heating mean.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Current hair straighteners and/or hair curlers have surfaces on the heating means which are usually coated, with a hard material e.g. chrome or ceramic, or are covered with a sleeve, e.g. made of cloths. However, the friction coefficients of these material are not sufficient enough to prevent a friction between the hairs and the heating mean during straightening and/or curling hairs. This leads to mechanical damage of the hairs during the straightening or curling process.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a heating mean for straightening and/or curling hairs, which has an improved surface covering the at least one heating mean, which does not damage the hair during the straightening or curling process.

This object is achieved by a heating mean for straightening and/or curling hairs, , whereby the heating mean transfers heat to the hair, and the outer surface of the heating mean, which is in contact with the hair, comprises a heat resistant soft material layer.

The soft material layer may be selected from a group comprising elastomer, polymer, or silicone .

According to one embodiment the soft material layer has a shore hardness equal or less than 100°. Preferably the shore hardness is equal or less than 80°, so that the material is able to prevent the hair from mechanical damage due to the hair styling. In particular it has turned out that a shore hardness equal or less than 50° would be most useful in this embodiment, whereby the lowest reachable shore hardness is 0°. The shore hardness is a test value for a hardness test for elastomer and synthethic materials. The lower a value for a shore hardness is, the softer is the soft material. Due to the soft material with the above mentioned shore hardness, it is possible to avoid mechanical damage of the hair, when the hair gets squeezed by the heating means.

In a preferred embodiment the soft material of the heating mean is coated by a heat resistant polymer layer, whereby the polymer layer posseses a lower friction coefficient than the soft material layer, and the soft material layer is sandwiched between the outer surface of the heating mean and the inner surface of the polymer layer. This arrangement provides a reducing of friction between the clamped hair and the heating mean. The friction reducing polymer layer may be selected from the group comprising sol-gel materials, teflon or parylene. Sol-Gel materials are materials, which are produced with the help of the sol-gel process. The sol-gel process is a well known wet-chemical technique which is widely used in the fields of materials science and ceramic engineering. Typical precursors are metal alkoxides and metal chlorides, which undergo hydrolysis and poly condensation reactions to form a colloid. A subsequent drying process serves to remove the liquid phase from the gel, yielding a micro-porous amorphous glass or micro-crystalline ceramic. Subsequent thermal treatment may be performed in order to favor further polycondensation and enhance mechanical properties. Metal alkoxides are members of the family of organometallic compounds, which are organic compounds that have one or more metal atoms in the molecule. Metal alkoxides (R-O-M) are like alcohols (R-OH) with a metal atom, M, replacing the hydrogen H in the hydroxyl group. Preferably, M is Si. R can be a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group. The formation of a metal oxide involves connecting the metal centers with oxo (M-O-M) or hydroxo (M-OH-M) bridges, therefore generating metal-oxo or metal-hydroxo polymers in solution. Prefered metal alkoxide are silicon tetraethoxide, or tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The chemical formula for TEOS is given by: Si(OC2H5)4, or Si(OR)4 where the alkyl group R = C₂H₅. Alkoxides are ideal chemical precursors for sol-gel synthesis because they react readily with water.

Parylene is the tradename for a variety of chemical vapor deposited poly(p- xylylene) polymers used as moisture and dielectric barriers.

According to one embodiment the difference of the friction coefficient between the soft material layer and the polymer layer may be in the rage of more that 0 to equal or less than 0.8. Preferably in the range of equal or more than 0.3 to equal or less than 0.6, so that the coating is reducing the friction coefficient of the soft material layer. In particular it is has turned out that a difference of the friction coefficient in the range of equal or more than 0.4 to equal or less than 0.5 is most useful for this embodiment . Due to the difference of the friction coefficient between the soft material layer and the polymer layer, it is possible to reduce the friction between the soft material layer and the hair further.

According to one embodiment the polymer layer may have a friction coefficient μ equal or less than 1. Preferably a friction coefficient μ equal or less than 0.5 so that there will be less friction between the hair and the heating mean. In particular it has turned out that when the polymer layer has a friction coefficient of μ equal or less than 0.15 the damage of the hair, when the device is moved away from the head, can be further minimized. The friction coefficient is a ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together. By using a low friction coefficient it is possible to reduce the friction between the hair and the heating plate, and thereby the damage of the hair when the device is pulled away from the head.

According to one embodiment the polymer layer may have a thickness between equal or more than 0,1 μιη and equal or less than 200 μιη. Preferably the polymer layer may have a thickness between equal or more than 5 μιη and equal or less than 100 μιη. This guarantees that the polymer layer is not affecting the softness of the soft material layer, when it is coated. In particular it has turned out that a thickness of the polymer layer between equal or more than 10 μιη and equal or less than 50 μιη is the preferred thickness. Since the material for the polymer layer may be expensive, a thickness over equal or more than 50 μιη would lead to higher production costs. Further, at thickness of equal or more than 10 μιη is preferred, since due to the use of the device a polymer layer of equal or less than 10 μιη could be abraded and therefore, the low friction coefficient of the polymer would be lost. Due to the thickness of the polymer layer, the softness of the soft material layer is not affected, and it is still possible to embedd the hair into the soft material layer, when the hair is clamped between the heating means.

According to one embodiment the soft material layer may have a heat resistance equal or less than 300°C. Preferably the heat resistance of the soft material layer is equal or less than 280°C. It is possible that the device will reach such a temperature for a few seconds when it is heating up the heating means. In particular the heat resistant of the soft material layer is equal or less than 250°C. Since current known heating means of hair styling devices are working in a temperature range of ususally equal or more than 100°C to equal or less than 250°C. The temperature is dependent from the heating means of the device, which is used for straightening or curling the hair. With a soft material with such a heat resitance it is possible to straighten or to curl the hair by heat with the soft material layer attached onto the heating means.

According to another embodiment the soft material layer may be coated.

When the soft material layer is coated onto the heating mean, it is permanently attached onto the heating mean and cannot be removed without damage. Further it is not possible to loose the material layer, since it is fixed permanently onto the heating mean.

According to another embodiment the soft material layer may be a sleeve, whereby the sleeve is pulled over the outer surface of the at least one heating mean. By using a sleeve it is possible, e.g. to upgrade a current device. The user has then the possibility to choose if the user wants to use heating means which are coated with a hard material or if the user wants to use heating means which are covered with a sleeve of a soft material layer. By using a sleeve it is also not necessary to change the production process of the device since the sleeve can be later added. Further, a user does not need to buy a new device. Instead the user can use the current device by just buying a sleeve of a soft material layer for it.

According to another embodiment the soft material is deforming, when a pressure force, which is brought on to the hair, would e.g. deform the hair. Here, the term deform means that the hair, which is usually round, will change its shape to e.g. oval due to the pressure force, which is brought onto the hair. When the pressure force may deform the hair, the hair is embedded in the soft material layer and the pressure force is dispensed over the whole contact surface of the at least one heating mean. By the deformation a mechanical damage of the hair during the use of the device due to clamping can be prevented.

Further, this invention relates to a device for straightening and/or curling hairs, which comprises at least one heating mean, which is coated with a soft material layer, whereby when the device is a hair straightner the heating means are e.g. heating plates and when the device is a hair curler the heating mean is e.g a curling iron.

According to a further embodiment the device has a clamping device which is facing the at least one heating mean, whereby the hair is clamped between the heating mean and the clamping device, and the hair is sandwiched between the clamping device and the soft material layer of the first heating mean. Further, the clamping device can be a a second heating mean, which transfers heat to the hairs too.

According to one embodiment the clamping device is without a soft material layer. According to another embodiment the clamping device comprises a soft material layer.

The invention is further related to the use of a device for straightening and/or curling hairs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig.1 shows a hair which is squeezed between the heating means of a prior art hair straightener;

Fig.2 shows a hair which is squeezed between the heating means of a hair straightener according to the invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 is showing a detail view of a prior art device, namely a detail view of the heating means of a hair straightener. A heating mean 2 is covered with a hard material, namely ceramic, whereby the heating mean 2 transfers heat to a hair 3. In this embodiment the heating mean 2 is a heating plate. On the heating mean 2 is a hair 3, which is squeezed by a clamping device 1. In this embodiment the clamping device 1 is a second heating plate, which is also covered with a hard material and facing the heating mean 2. Further, the clamping device 1 is transferring heat to the hair 3.

As can be seen in Fig. 1 the hair 3 is deformed due to the pressure of the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1. During the straightening or curling of the hair a bundle of hair is clapmed between the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1 of the device. For straigthtening the hairs with the device the hairs are clamped between the heating mean 2 and the the clamping device 1 , and the user moves the straightener away from the head. If the user uses the straightener for curling hairs, the hairs are clamped between the heating mean 2 and the claimping device 1 , and the user is curling the hairs with the hair straightener, and then the user moves the straightener away from the head. By moving the device away from the head, the hairs are charged with a certain pulling force due to friction between the hairs and the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1. At the end of the hair bundle less hairs are between the heating mean2 and the clamping device 1. The clamp forces of the heating mean2 and the clamping device 1 stay the same. The contact pressure onto the remaining hairs increases to a value so that it comes to a slip stick effect which leads to plucking. Due to the plucking of the hairs between the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1 the hair structure gets damaged. The result are split ends and broken hairs. Here, the term plucking means that due to the friction between the hairs and the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1 , the hairs are pulled by the straightener, when the user moves the straightener away from the head. Further, it is also possible that an unpleasant high pitched sound appears, when the straightener is moved away from the head.

A device according to the invention is shown in Fig. 2. A heating mean 2 of the device, namely a hair straigthener, is covered with a soft material layer 4, such as silicone. However, it is also possible to select the soft material layer 4 from a group comprising elastomer or polymer. The soft material layer 4 is coated on the outer surface of the heating mean 2. The soft material layer 4 is heat resistant equal or less than 250°C, so that it can withstand and transport the heat produced by the heating mean 2, and has a shore hardness equal or less than 80°, so that it has a softness to prevent damage from a hair 5.

It is also possible that the soft material layer 4 is coated with a heat resistant polymer layer (not shown in Fig. 2), whereby the soft material layer 4 is sandwiched between the outer surface of the heating mean 2 and the inner surface of the polymer layer. The heat resistant polymer layer is heat resistant in the same range as the soft material layer 4. In this embodiment the heat resistant polymer layer comprises parylene. Parylene is the tradename for a variety of chemical vapor deposited poly(p-xylylene) polymers used as moisture and dielectric barriers. However, it is also possible to select the polymer layer from a group comprising sol-gel materials or teflon. The polymer layer has a lower friction coefficient than the soft material layer 4. The difference of the friction coefficient between the soft material layer 4 and the polmer layer is in the range equal or more than 0.4 to equal or less than 0.5. The polymer layer has a friction coefficient of μ equal or less than 0.15. With such a friction coefficient the friction between the hair and the heating mean 2 can be lowered. Further, the polymer layer has a thickness between equal or more than 10 μιη and equal or less than 50 μιη, so that it does not abbraise so easily when the device is used and the polymer layer is in contact with the hair 5. Furthermore, the polymer layer does not affect the softness of the soft material layer 4.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, a hair 5 is embedded by the soft material layer 4. The soft material layer 4 is deforming, when a pressure force, which is applied on to the hair 5, is able to deform the hair 5. Here, the term deform means that the hair 5, which has usually a round shape, will change its shape to e.g. oval due to the pressure force, which is brought on to the hair 5. When the pressure force may deform the hair 5, the hair 5 is embedded by the soft material layer 4 and the pressure force is dispensed over the whole contact surface of the heating mean 2. A clamping device 1 is facing the heating mean 2, whereby the hair 5 is clamped between the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1 , whereby the hair 5 is sandwitched between the soft material layer 4 and the clamping device 1. In this embodiment the clamping device 1 is a second heating mean which transfers heat to the hair 5. The clamping device 1 does not comprise a soft material layer 4.

During the straightening or curling of the hair a bundle of hair is clamped between the heating means of the device, whereby the hairs are sandwiched between the clamping device 1 and the soft material layer 4. The user moves the device away from the head. Thereby, the hairs are charged with a certain pulling force due to friction between hair and heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1. At the end of the hair bundle less hair are between the heating mean2 and the claming device 1. The clamp forces of the heating mean 2 and the clamping device 1 stay the same. But the soft material layer 4 embedds the hairs, so that the hairs are not deformed, and the pressure force is dispensed over the whole contact surface of the heating mean 2. It is also possible to lower the friction further with the help of a polymer layer, which posses a lower friction coefficient than the soft material layer 4. Thus, the use of the soft material layer 4 prevents the hairs from mechanical damage during the use of the device due to clamping.

The example setting shown in Fig. 2 can be used in a device for straightening and/or curling hairs.

In a not shown example, the clamping device 1 , is a clamp which does not transfer heat to the hair. The clamping device 1 is only clamping the hair onto the heating mean 2, so that the hair is sandwhiched between the claomping device 1 and the soft material layer 4. With the help of the clamping device 1 it is possible to embedd the hair evenly into the soft material layer 4 and thereby transferring the heat from heating mean 2 evenly to the hair over the soft material layer 4.

In a further not shown example, there is no clamping device 1. The hair is just curled onto the soft material layer 4 of the heating plate 2. The device is in this case a hair curler, which does not use a clamp to fix the hair. Due to the soft material layer 4 of the heating plate 2 the friction between the heating mean 2 and the hair is reduced, when the user moves the hair curler away from the head. Thereby, the soft material layer 4 prevents the hair from mechanical damage. In another example, which is not shown the soft material layer 4 is a sleeve, which is pulled over the outer surface of heating mean 2. By using a sleeve instead of a coating, it is possible, e.g. to upgrade a current device. The user has the possibility to choose if the user wants to use a heating mean 2 which is coated with a hard material or if the user wants to use a heating mean 2 which is covered with a sleeve of a soft material layer 4. By using a sleeve it is also not necessary to change the production process of the device since the sleeve can be later added. Further, a user does not need to buy a new device. Instead the user can use the current device by just buying a sleeve of a soft material layer 4 for it.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A heating mean (2) for a hairstyling device for straightening and/or curling hairs, whereby the outer surface of the heating mean (2), which is in contact with the hair, comprises

a heat resistant soft material layer (4), whereby the soft material layer (4) has a shore hardness equal or less than 100°, preferably a shore hardness equal or less than 80°, in particular a shore hardness equal or less than 50°.

2. The heating mean according to claim 1, whereby the soft material layer (4) is selected from a group comprising elastomer, polymer or silicone.

3. The heating mean (2) according to the claims 1 or 2, whereby the soft material layer (4) is coated with a heat resistant polymer layer, whereby the polymer layer posseses a lower friction coefficient than the soft material layer (4), whereby the soft material layer (4) is sandwiched between the outer surface of the heating mean (2) and the inner surface of the polymer layer.

4. The heating mean (2) according to claim 3, whereby the friction reducing polymer layer is selected from the group comprising sol-gel materials, teflon or parylene. 5. The heating mean (2) according to claims 3 or 4, whereby the diference of the friction coefficient of the soft material layer (4) and the polymer layer is in the range of more than 0 to equal or less than 0.8, preferably in the range of equal or more than 0.3 to equal or less than 0.6, in particular in the range of equal or more than 0.4 to equal or less than 0.

5.

6. The heating mean (2) according to one of the claims 3 to 5, whereby the polymer layer has a friction coefficient μ equal or less than 1 , preferably a friction coefficient μ equal or less than 0.5, in particular a friction coefficient μ equal or less than 0.15.

7. The heating mean (2) according to one of the claims 3 to 6, whereby the polymer layer has a thickness between equal or more than 0.1 μιη and equal or less than 200 μιη, preferably a thickness between equal or more than 5 μιη and equal or less than 100 μιη, in particular a thickness between equal or more than 10 μιη and equal or less than 50 μιη.

8. The heating mean (2) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, whereby the soft material layer (4) is heat resistant equal or less than 300°C, preferably equal or less than 280°C, in particular equal or less than 250°C.

9. The heating mean (2) according to one of the previous claims, whereby the soft material layer (4) is coated onto the at least one heating mean (2).

10. The heating mean (2) acording to on of the claims 1 to 8, whereby the soft material layer (4) is a sleeve, whereby the sleeve is pulled over the outer surface of the at least one heating mean (2).

11. The heating mean (2) according to one of the previous claims, whereby the soft material layer (4) is deforming, when a pressure force, which is brought on to the hair (5), is able to deform the hair (5), whereby the hair (5) is embedded in the soft material layer (4) and the pressure force is dispensed over the whole contact surface of the at least one heating mean (2).

12. A hair styling device for straightening and/or curling hairs comprising at least one heating mean (2) according to the claims 1 to 11.

13. The device according to claim 12, whereby the device has a clamping device (1) which is facing the at least one heating mean (2), whereby the hair (5) is clamped between the heating mean(2) and the clamping device (1).

14. The device according to claim 13, whereby the clamping device (1) is without a soft material layer (4).

15. The device according to claim 13, whereby the clamping device (1) comprises a soft material layer (4).