WO2013153320A1

WO2013153320A1 - Jaw-type hairstyling appliance having a retractable comb

Info

Publication number: WO2013153320A1
Application number: PCT/FR2013/050763
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent Chambon; Martial Maisonneuve
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2012-04-12
Filing date: 2013-04-08
Publication date: 2013-10-17
Also published as: CN104203036B; FR2989253B1; CN104203036A; EP2836094B1; EP2836094A1; ES2689501T3; FR2989253A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a hairstyling appliance comprising at least: -a first elongate jaw (1) and a second elongate jaw (2), said jaws having longitudinal axes L and L' and being hinged together by a hinge (4) in order to be able to move between an open position (O) and a closed position in which they define, by way of opposing working surfaces (S₁, S₂), a hair treatment zone, -heating means (7) associated with at least one of the working surfaces (S₁, S₂), -a comb (10) comprising a row of teeth and/or tufts of brush bristles which are able to move between, on the one hand, a working position (T) in which they are intended to comb a lock of hair passing at least partially through the treatment zone and, on the other hand, a rest position (R) in which the teeth and/or the tufts of brush bristles do not comb the lock of hair, and which are, in the working position (T), approximately parallel to a direction of extension normal to at least one of the working surfaces (S₁, S₂). According to the invention, the comb comprises: -retractable teeth and/or tufts of brush bristles (12, 12') which are able to move in rotation about an axis approximately perpendicular to the direction of extension (D) of the teeth and/or tufts of brush bristles (12, 12'), -and elastic return means (15) for each retractable tooth and/or each retractable tuft of brush bristles (12, 12') into the working position (T).

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of hairdressing appliances such as curling irons or even hair straighteners.

[02] Such devices generally comprise two jaws at least one of which is heated and which are hinged together so as to be able to pinch a lock of hair to be shaped. One of the jaws or both jaws are then heated directly or indirectly by an electric heating member whose temperature is regulated by a thermostatic system to reach a temperature determined according to a temperature value possibly selected by a user of the 'apparatus.

[03] Such a type of hairdressing apparatus makes it possible with some practice to obtain a good smoothing result. This good smoothing result is obtained by exerting a pressure force to keep the jaws closed and apply sufficient pressure on the lock of hair to be treated. The best results are obtained when the hair of the wick to be treated is distributed as evenly as possible over the entire length of the working surfaces of the jaws and being as parallel as possible to each other.

[04] In order to obtain such a uniform distribution of parallel hair between them a request WO201 10551 16 has proposed a straightener equipped with a comb movable between a working position in which the teeth of the comb are protruding so as to comb a wick of hair being smoothed and a resting position in which the teeth are retracted so that they are not in contact with the lock of hair. Such a comb gives full satisfaction with regard to its styling function before smoothing but has the disadvantage of inducing a risk of blockage of the smoothing movement of the hairdressing appliance if the teeth of the comb encounter knots that they do not have. can undo. [05] However, such a stop smoothing movement is likely, on the one hand, to induce overheating of the hair in the work area during the blockage and, secondly to cause pain in the user because of induced traction on the hairline.

[06] It therefore appeared the need for a new hair styling device that allows a distribution and a paralleling of the hair before or during the treatment without, however, presenting the risks of blockage inherent to the integrated hair straighteners according to the prior art .

[07] In order to achieve this object the invention relates to a hairdressing apparatus comprising at least:

two elongated first and second jaws of longitudinal axes L and L ', articulated together by a hinge, to be movable between an open position and a closed position in which they define, by facing working surfaces, a hair treatment area,

heating means associated with at least one of the working surfaces,

- A comb comprising a series of teeth and / or tufts of bristles which are movable between on the one hand a working position in which they are intended to comb a lock of hair passing in part at least in the treatment area and on the other hand a rest position in which the teeth and / or tufts of bristles do not comb the lock of hair, and which are, in the working position, substantially parallel to a direction of extension normal to the at least one of the work surfaces.

According to the invention, the comb comprises:

- Tines and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles which are rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the teeth and / or tufts of brush bristles,

and elastic return means of each tooth and / or each tuft of retractable brush bristles in the working position.

[08] The combination of rotational mobility of the teeth and / or tufts of bristles about an axis substantially perpendicular to their direction of extension and elastic return means which tend to maintain each tooth and / or each bunch of retractable brush bristles in the working position while allowing their passage in the rest position when they encounter an obstacle, avoids the risk of blockage of the movement of the hairdressing appliance when one or more teeth and / or tufts of Bristles encounter a knot that they are not likely to undo. Indeed, according to the invention, the force induced by such a knot during the movement of the hairdressing device causes a tilting of the tooth and / or the tuft of brush bristles which tends to fade so that the movement can continue unhindered. [09] Thus, according to a feature of the invention, the elastic return means are adapted to allow a passage of one or more teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles in the rest position when the force applied by the strand of hair on the teeth and / or on the tufts of bristles is greater than a set value. Such a setpoint value may be of the order of a few Newtons, for example 1, 8N.

According to the invention, only a few teeth and / or a few tufts of comb bristles may be retractable and, in particular, teeth and / or tufts of bristles located in or facing a median region of the work area. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each tooth and / or each tuft of comb brush hairs is retractable.

[il] According to the invention, the teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles can be movable independently of one another or mobile group. In the latter case and according to a feature of the invention, at least some of the teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles are rigidly bonded together.

[12] According to a variant of this feature, all the teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles are rigidly bonded together. This variant simplifies the embodiment of the elastic return means.

[13] According to another characteristic of the invention, the hairdressing apparatus comprises means for locking the teeth and / or tufts of brush bristles retractable in the rest position. This feature allows the use of the hairdressing apparatus without the teeth and / or tufts of brush hair combing the lock of hair during treatment and without having to disassemble the comb toothed and / or tufted retractable brush bristles if the latter is removable.

According to the invention, the comb with teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles may be located inside or outside the working zone. In a preferred but not strictly necessary form, the comb is located outside the work area. Thus, the comb does not affect the size of the work surfaces and the quality of their action on the hair.

[15] According to a feature of the invention, the comb is removable. The removable or removable nature of the comb with teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles can be obtained in different ways. Thus according to a variant of this feature, the hairdressing appliance or more particularly the comb comprises a removable frame which comprises a mounting base on a jaw and which carries the teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles and the means of elastic reminders of retractable teeth and / or tufts of brush bristles.

[16] In the context of this variant, at least one of the jaws comprises complementary fixing means of the fastening base adapted to allow attachment of the frame so that the comb is placed on one side or the other. other of the work area. Such a reversible nature of the method of attachment of the frame makes it possible to position the comb so that it is upstream of the working zone with respect to the direction of movement of the hairdressing appliance along a wick being treatment. [17] Still in the context of this variant, each jaw comprises complementary fixing means of the mounting base adapted to allow attachment of the frame so that the comb is placed on one side or the other of the Work zone. [18] Of course, the various features, variations and embodiments of the invention may be associated with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or exclusive of each other.

[19] Furthermore, various other features and advantages of the invention emerge from the description below with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of a hairdressing apparatus according to the invention.

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective of a hairdressing apparatus according to the invention, the jaws are in the open position and the retractable teeth are in the working position.

- Figure 2 is a perspective similar to Figure 1, mounting the retractable teeth in the rest position.

- Figure 3 is a schematic perspective of the hairdressing apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, showing a constructive detail of the return means of the retractable teeth in the working position.

- Figures 4 and 5 are schematic cross sections of the hairdressing apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, with its jaws in the closed position, the retractable teeth being in the working position in Figure 4 and in the rest position to Figure 5.

- Figure 6 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the hairdressing apparatus according to the invention.

- Figure 7 is a schematic cross section of another embodiment of a hairdressing apparatus according to the invention, wherein the comb is removable.

- Figure 8 is a schematic cross section of yet another embodiment of a hairdressing apparatus according to the invention.

- Figure 9 is an alternative of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, with the tufts of brush bristles.

In these figures, the common references designate elements common to the various forms and / or variants of embodiment. [20] A hairdressing apparatus according to the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 and designated as a whole by the reference A, comprises two elongated jaws 1 and 2 each extending along a longitudinal axis L, L . The jaws 1 and 2 are connected near one of their ends by a hinge or pivot link 4 axis Ω. Thus, the jaws 1 and 2 are hinged together and movable between an open position O as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, and a closed position F shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each jaw 1 and 2 comprises, close to an end opposite the link 4, a working surface respectively Si, S2. These working surfaces Si, S2 are located facing each other and extend over only a portion of the length of the jaws 1 and 2, so as to define in the closed position a hair treatment area. Each working surface Si and S2 has, according to the example shown, a generally rectangular shape and is made of a thermally conductive material having a surface condition adapted to be placed in contact with hair without the risk of damaging them. Thus, each working surface Si, S2 could, for example, be smooth by being polished or possibly covered with an enamel, a ceramic material, a polymer material with a low coefficient of friction or a low enamel. coefficient of friction or a layer of glass. [21] The working surfaces Si and S2 are for example formed by smoothing plates respectively first and second 6. The smoothing plates 5 and 6 are each associated with electric heating means 7 in contact with the rear surface of the corresponding plate, located opposite the working surface Si, S2, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The electric heating means 7 may be made in any appropriate manner such as for example in the form of a resistive heating element with PTC or infrared emission. The electric heating means 7 are therefore located inside the first 1 and second 2 jaws. The heating means are for example designed to maintain a predetermined target temperature automatically. The heating means could also be connected to unrepresented control means allowing a selection by a user of a set temperature. The heating means and / or their control unit are supplied with electrical energy by a connecting cord 8 which extends from one end of the second jaw 2 opposite to the working surface S2. Good Of course, the power supply of the hairdressing apparatus A could also be provided by batteries or batteries arranged inside one and / or the other of the jaws 1 and 2. Embodiments of the means and the possible control unit are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore do not require further description in the context of the present invention.

[22] According to the invention, the hairdressing apparatus further comprises a comb 10 which, according to the illustrated example, is outside the working area defined by the surfaces Si, S2. The comb 10 is, in this case, partly formed by a lateral extension 1 1 of the body of the first jaw 1. The comb 10 comprises a series of retractable teeth 12 which are each movable in rotation along an axis Δ substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis L. Thus the retractable teeth 12 are movable between a working position T, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, and a rest position R, shown in Figures 2 and 5. Each retractable tooth 12 extends in a direction of extension D substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation Δ. The extension direction D is furthermore substantially parallel to a direction normal to the first working surface Si when the retractable teeth 12 are in the working position.

[23] The comb 10 also comprises means 15 for resilient return of each retractable tooth 12 in working position T. According to the illustrated example, the retractable teeth 12 are rigidly connected to each other by being aligned in one and the same plan so that the resilient biasing means 15 are here formed by a single spring 16. One end 17 of the spring 16 is fixed to the body of the first jaw 1 while the other end 18 is fixed on a return back 19 secured teeth 12 and located opposite to the latter with respect to the axis Δ. Thus, when a stress is exerted on the retractable teeth 12 in the direction of the arrow F1, with a value greater than the restoring force of the spring 16, the retractable teeth 12 pivot in the direction of the arrow F2. The stiffness of the spring 16 is for example chosen so that the teeth 12 retract when the stress exerted on the latter is greater than a set value of a few Newtons for example around 2 Newtons. According to the illustrated example the spring 16 works in tension but it could be designed to work in tension and in compression.

[24] The hairdressing apparatus thus constituted is implemented as illustrated in FIG. 6. Firstly, the hairdressing apparatus is placed in such a way as to pinch a lock M of hair to be treated in the zone. The hairstyling apparatus is then moved from the scalp C to the tips P of the hair in the direction of the arrow F3. The hairdressing apparatus is further positioned so that the comb 10 is located upstream of the work area. Thus, the hair is unraveled before joining the work area where they will be smoothed. In the case where the teeth 12 meet a knot of hair too tight to be easily disentangled, then they would pivot to be placed in the rest position and thus let the knot pass without interrupting the movement of the hairdressing apparatus along the wick Mr.

[25] The invention thus makes it possible to avoid painful pulling of the hair and / or stopping the movement of the apparatus A with a risk of overheating of the part of the hair lying in the working area at the time of the stop. [26] According to the example illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 and described above, the comb 10 is fixedly attached to the first jaw 1. However, according to the invention, the comb 10 can be removably adapted to the hairstyling apparatus A.

[27] Thus according to another embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the hairstyling apparatus A and more particularly the comb 10 comprises a removable frame 20 which comprises a base 21 for attachment to a jaw 1. The frame 20 also carries the retractable teeth 12 and the elastic return means 15 as described above. According to the illustrated example, at least one of the jaws and, in this case, the two jaws carry fastening means 22 complementary to the attachment base 21. The fastening means 22 are here formed by longitudinal slideways 23 on which flanges 24 engage with the fastening base 21. Thus, it is possible to place the comb 10 so that the retractable teeth 12 are placed on one side or the other of the zone of work and that on one or other of the jaws so that the hairdressing apparatus is perfectly adaptable to use by a right-handed or left-handed person.

[28] According to the example illustrated in Figure 7, the hairdressing apparatus also comprises means 25 for locking the teeth 12 retractable in the rest position. In this case, the locking means 25 are formed by a slider 26 which is movable in translation and which carries a finger 27 adapted to act on the return back 19 so as to keep the retractable teeth 12 in the rest position or raised R.

[29] According to the examples described above the retractable teeth 12 constituting the comb 10 are rigidly connected to each other. However, such an embodiment is not necessary for the invention. Thus, Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment in which each retractable tooth 12 is independent of its neighbors. Each retractable tooth is then fixed to the body of one of the jaws by an elastic base 30 which defines the pivoting joint of the retractable tooth that it carries and which also forms the return means of the latter in working position T [30] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the retractable teeth 12 can be replaced by tufts of bristles 12 '. However, one can also imagine a row of teeth spaced by tufts of hair.

[31] Of course, various other modifications can be made to the hairdressing apparatus according to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Hairdressing apparatus comprising at least:

- Two jaws, first (1) and second (2), elongated longitudinal axes L and L ', and hinged together by a hinge (4), to be movable between an open position (O) and a closed position in which they define by working surfaces (Si, S ₂ ) opposite a hair treatment area,

heating means (7) associated with at least one of the working surfaces (Si, S ₂ ),

- a comb (10) comprising a series of teeth and / or tufts of bristles which are movable between, on the one hand, a working position (T) in which they are intended to comb a lock of hair passing through. at least part in the treatment zone and, secondly, a rest position (R) in which the teeth and / or tufts of bristles do not comb the lock of hair, and which are, in the position of work (T), substantially parallel to a direction of extension normal to at least one of the working surfaces (Si, S ₂ ),

characterized in that the comb comprises:

- teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles (12, 12 ') which are rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension (D) of the teeth and / or tufts of bristles ( 12, 12 '),

and means (15) for resilient return of each tooth and / or each tuft of retractable brush bristles (12, 12 ') in working position (T).

2. Hairdressing appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic return means (15) are adapted to allow passage of one or more teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles (12, 12 ') in rest position (R) when the force applied by the lock of hair on the teeth and / or on the tufts of bristles (12, 12 ') is greater than a set value.

3. Hairdressing appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each tooth (12) and / or each tuft of bristles (12 ') of the comb (10) is retractable.

4. Hairdressing appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some retractable teeth (12) and / or tufts of brush bristles (12 ') are rigidly bonded together.

5. Hairdressing appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that all the retractable teeth (12) and / or tufts of brush bristles (12 ') are rigidly bonded to one another.

6. Hairdressing appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (25) for locking the teeth and / or tufts of retractable brush bristles in the rest position (R).

Hairdressing appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comb (10) is situated outside the working zone.

8. Hairdressing appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comb (10) is removable.

9. Hairdressing apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the comb (10) comprises a removable frame (20) which comprises a base (21) for fixing on a jaw and which carries the teeth and / or the tufts of hair retractable brushes (12, 12 ') and resilient return means (15) of the retractable teeth (12) and / or tufts of brush bristles (12').

10. Hairdressing appliance according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the jaws (1, 2) comprises means (22) for complementary attachment of the fastening base (21) adapted to allow a fixing of the frame (20) so that the comb is placed on one side or the other of the work area.