WO2016004569A2

WO2016004569A2 - Hair curling iron with winder

Info

Publication number: WO2016004569A2
Application number: PCT/CN2014/081771
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wai Ho Michael Keong; Wai Ming LAM
Original assignee: Kenford Industrial Company Ltd
Priority date: 2014-07-07
Filing date: 2014-07-07
Publication date: 2016-01-14
Also published as: RU2673752C2; EP3166440A1; RU2017101671A; CN206603399U; JP2017520345A; WO2016004569A3; US20170202332A1; JP6678639B2; RU2017101671A3; WO2016004851A1; EP3166440A4; EP3166440B1; CN106535697A

Abstract

A curling iron (1, 401) motorised to wind a lock of hair (20) about a barrel (16) offers improved ergonomics by providing a body (11, 411) that surrounds the barrel (16) to form a hair-receiving space (19) accessed through an opening (18) in the body (11, 411). The opening (18) provides a passage for the hair and comprises a circumferential portion (18a) extending about a distal end (16b) of the barrel (16) and a slot portion (18b) extending axially from the circumferential portion (18a) toward the proximal end (16a). The slot portion (18b) is disposed at a longitudinal end of the curling iron (1) and is configured for receiving a lock of hair (20) elongated parallel to the slot and pushed in crosswise.A finger mounted to the body (11, 411) projects to normally close the slot portion (18b) and hold the lock of hair (20) in the hair-receiving space (19).The finger may be resiliently deflected to permit the passage of the lock of hair (20).

Description

Hair curling iron with winder

Technical field

The present invention relates to hair styling irons, particularly electrical appliances for hair curling, having a winder for winding up hair.

Background of the Invention

One class of hand-held electric hair irons has a winder that is driven to rotate, or to rotate relative to, a barrel onto which a lock of hair is thereby wound for curling, such as described in US20130025620 and WO2013186547. These prior art motorised curling irons have two jaws connected by a hinge so as to be moveable from an open position allowing the insertion of hair to a closed position to put the hair in contact with the heater and perform the curling treatment. The principal advantages of these appliances are the speed and ease with which they allow hair to be styled, however there is an on-going need for improvements in the performance of this class of hair iron, particularly with respect to ergonomics.

In the curling iron of Fig. 54 of WO2013186547 the first jaw carries the barrel, and a hair-receiving opening in a head surrounding the barrel has a slot portion parallel to the barrel is opened and closed by movement of the second jaw relative to the first jaw. Advantageously, this slot portion is too narrow to allow a user's fingers to into the heated chamber next to the barrel. However, ease of use is compromised by the second jaw blocking access to the slot portion, requiring hair to be fed along a complex path, firstly in a longitudinal direction, and then transversely into the slot portion. There is a risk that some strands of hair will not be retained in the slot portion and wound about the barrel, resulting in incomplete styling of lock of hair. The lack of symmetry or "handedness" of the appliance also means that it is not equally readily used both left- and right-handed. It would also be advantageous to have a simple and compact structure that can be manufactured for a lower cost. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages or, more generally, to provide an improved curling iron.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a curling iron comprising: a body; a barrel having a proximal end fixed within the body and an opposing distal end, the body surrounding the barrel and enclosing a hair-receiving space between the barrel and the body; an element for heating hair in the hair-receiving space, and an opening in the body, the opening comprising a circumferential portion extending about the distal end and a slot portion extending from the circumferential portion toward the proximal end, whereby opposing ends of a lock of hair passing through the hair-receiving space may extend from the circumferential portion and the slot portion.

Preferably the curling iron further comprises: an outer gate that closes the circumferential portion to restrict movement of the lock of hair about the circumferential portion, and that opens to allow a curled lock of hair to be withdrawn from the hair-receiving space; inner gate means mounted to the body to hold the lock of hair in the hair-receiving space; a winder for winding the lock of hair about the barrel, and an operator pressed by a user to close the outer gate and actuate the winder.

Compared to inner gate means hingedly connected to the handle, mounting inner gate means to the body, allows them to be much smaller, while also better ensuring the lock of hair actually enters through the slot portion into the hair-receiving space and strands are not clamped against an outer surface of the body.

Preferably the inner gate means comprises at least one finger mounted to the body to project in a normally closed position, and which may be resiliently deflected to an open position by the user pushing the lock of hair past the at least one finger

The at least one finger may be elastomeric, and in particular, made entirely from a silicon elastomer. Alternatively, for instance, the finger may comprise a rigid projection held in a resilient base, or a like flexure hinge arrangement, whereby the finger is resiliently biased to its normally closed position.

Preferably the winder comprises a member mounted to rotate through the hair-receiving space substantially about an axis of the barrel for winding up the lock of hair and the at least one finger projects into a mouth of the slot portion proximate the winder member. The winder may comprise a hook, comb, or the like member for engaging the hair, that rotates (either separately from the barrel or together with the barrel) and which may also move axially during rotation so as to displace the hair axially as it is wound up. Preferably the winder comprises a member mounted to rotate relative to the barrel through the hair-receiving space substantially about an axis of the barrel, while simultaneously moving parallel to axis of the barrel.

Preferably a base of the at least one finger is mounted to a wall of the slot portion. Preferably the at least one finger tapers to narrow from the base to its tip. The finger may be strip-like, having a cross section that is elongated, for instance, elongated substantially parallel to the axis of the barrel.

Preferably the mouth is tapered in a transverse plane to narrow toward the barrel and toward a throat of the slot portion. Preferably the throat has cross-sectional dimensions that are substantially constant throughout its axial length, and a width of the throat in cross-section is substantially narrower than a length of the throat in cross-section. Preferably the mouth has reflective symmetry about a plane bisecting the slot portion. The mouth may have opposing convex surfaces. Preferably the at least one finger is, in its normally closed position, elongated generally perpendicular to an axis of the throat. Preferably the at least one finger does not project outside the slot portion. Preferably the slot is elongated axially, generally parallel to the axis of the barrel.

Optionally, the at least one finger may comprise a plurality of fingers. The fingers may be arranged in one of more linear arrays along the slot potion. The fingers may be all mounted on the same side of the slot portion, or on opposite sides. When on opposing sides of the slot portion the fingers may be aligned with one another, or else staggered. When staggered, the fingers may overlap lengthwise or be interdigitated.

Preferably the handle is elongate and an axis of the barrel lies in a longitudinal plane that bisects the slot portion and bisects the handle longitudinally. Preferably the longitudinal axis of the handle is approximately transverse to the axis of the barrel.

Preferably the hair-receiving space is bounded by substantially coaxial cylindrical walls of the barrel and the body. Preferably a ratio of the diameter of the cylindrical wall of the barrel to the diameter of the cylindrical wall of the body is between 2:3 and 6:7.

Preferably the element is provided in the barrel, and the barrel is made of thermal conductor, such as a metal. Preferably no heater is provided in the head. Preferably no clamp is provided for pressing the lock of hair against the barrel.

Preferably the outer gate opens and closes by sliding or pivoting. Optionally, a mechanism combining sliding and pivoting movement may be provided for moving the outer gate. Preferably the outer gate opens and closes by moving substantially transverse to the axis of the barrel. Preferably the outer gate closes the circumferential portion to restrict movement of the lock of hair to an area adjacent the slot portion.

Preferably the winder rotates substantially about an axis of the barrel. The winder may rotate relative to the barrel, or may rotate together with the barrel. Preferably the winder has a concave edge for abutting the lock of hair.

Preferably the operator is mounted to the handle. Preferably the operator is connected to the outer gate by a mechanism. Alternatively, the operator may control a sensor or switch of a control circuit to operate an electro-mechanical actuator to open or close the outer gate. The operator may be a lever operator, a slide button operator, or a rotary knob operator. The operator may control a sensor or switch of a control circuit to start a motor for rotating the winder.

Preferably the barrel is an assembly of two like half-cylindrical parts, each of which may enclose a respective heating element.

The invention provides a curling iron which is effective and efficient, and can be conveniently used both left- and right-handed, while reducing the risk that some strands of hair will not be retained in the slot portion and also offering a simple design which minimises manufacturing costs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a pictorial view from above of a curling iron according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2a is a part-sectional view of the head of the iron of Fig. 1 , in which an outer wall of the head is shown cut away;

Figure 2b is a transverse section through the barrel of Fig. 2a;

Figure 3 is a top view of the head of the iron of Fig. 1 ;

Figures 4 and 5 are sections AA and CC, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Figures 6a and 6b are schematic longitudinal sections through the iron of Fig. 1 , showing the upper gate open and closed respectively; Figure 7 is a part-sectional view of the head of a second embodiment of a curling iron of the invention, in which an outer wall of the head is shown cut away;

Figure 8 is a part-sectional view of the head of a third embodiment of a curling iron of the invention, in which an outer wall of the head is shown cut away, and

Figures 9 and 10 are side views from opposing sides of a fourth embodiment of a curling iron of the invention.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Fig. 1 , an electric appliance for hair styling, or a curling iron 1 , has a body 10 , 1 1 that generally comprises a handle 10 on which a head 1 1 is disposed. The body 10, 1 1 may be an assembly of parts, or the head 10 and handle 1 1 may be integrally formed, as by moulding from polymer. The handle 10 may be elongate and hollow with a longitudinal handle axis 12 and it may be fixed at one end to the head 1 1 , with a mains power cable 14 extending from the opposite end. User controls 15 may be mounted to the handle 10, and may include a lever operator 13. A control circuit (not shown) may be mounted within the handle 10.

A barrel 16, about which a lock of hair 20 is wound in use, may be heated by internal elements 81. The barrel 16 is surrounded by the head 1 1 and has an axis 17, which may be aligned approximately transverse to the handle axis 12. An opening 18 in the head 1 1 is provided for the passage of the lock of hair, and comprises a circumferential portion 18a (through which the barrel 16 is visible in Fig. 1) and that extends around the barrel 16, and a slot portion 18b extending therefrom. A hair-receiving space 19 is provided between the head 11 and the barrel 16 and, in use, with a lock of hair 20 passing through the hair-receiving space 19 a root end 20a extends from the circumferential portion 18a and a tip 20b of the lock of hair 20 may extend from the slot portion 18b generally axially.

As shown in Figs 2a, 2b and 3, a proximal end 16a of the barrel 16 is fixed within the head 1 1 and the circumferential portion 18a extends about an opposing distal end 16b, so that the distal end 16b is recessed inside the head 1 1. The cylindrical barrel 16 may be an assembly of two like half-cylindrical parts 80 fixed back-to-back as shown in Fig. 2b, each half enclosing a respective one of the heating elements 81. The head 1 1 is a substantially rigid part of the body assembly which may comprise double walls. The head 1 1 encloses the barrel 16 and other parts of the appliance, including a reversible gear motor 21 fixed near the proximal end 16a. The gear motor 21 is part of a winder assembly for winding the lock of hair 20 about the barrel 16, and is connected to a winder hook 22 mounted to rotate about the axis 17 through the hair-receiving space 19 for hooking and rotating the hair, while simultaneously moving parallel to axis 17 to help form a helical curl.

The slot portion 18b intersects with the circumferential portion 18a to provide the only substantial opening in the head 1 1 , and connecting the hair-receiving space 19 to the space surrounding the head. The slot portion 18b may be elongated to extend generally axially from the circumferential portion 18a toward the proximal end 16a. The hair-receiving space 19 is closed at the proximal end 16a and the circumferential portion 18a and slot portion 18b provide a passage through which the lock of hair may pass. The hair-receiving space 19 may be bounded by substantially coaxial walls, as by the cylindrical walls 24, 25 of the barrel 16 and the head 1 1 respectively, as illustrated.

An outer gate 27 opens and closes the circumferential portion 18a of the opening 18, as by pivoting, and serves to restrict movement of the lock of hair 20 about the circumferential portion 18a. It is sufficient that movement of the lock of hair 20 about the circumferential portion 18a is restricted to prevent unwinding, and it is not necessary to clamp or grip the lock. Fig. 2a shows the outer gate 27 in its open position in which it is retracted from the circumferential portion 18a within a hollow in the head 1 1 that is located between a wall 29 and the distal end 16b. With the outer gate 27 open a curled lock of hair may freely be withdrawn from the hair-receiving space 19 through the circumferential portion 18a. The outer gate 27 may move substantially transverse to the axis 17 from the open position shown, in which a hair-engaging surface 28 is retracted from the circumferential portion 18a, to a closed position (best seen in Fig. 6b) in which the hair-engaging surface 28 bounds a space adjacent to the slot portion 18b, restricting movement of the lock of hair 20 to this space adjacent the slot portion 18b.

A mechanism (described further below with respect to Figs 6a and 6b) connects the lever operator 13 and outer gate 27, allowing the outer gate 27 to be closed by the user pressing the lever operator 13, and opened by a spring 76. After the outer gate 27 is closed, or substantially closed, the lever operator 13 may actuate a switch 70 in the control circuit to start the gear motor 21 and wind up the lock of hair 20.

Fig. 2a also illustrates an embodiment of fingers 30 that provide a low cost and very effective inner gate means that close the slot portion 18b to hold the lock of hair 20 in the hair-receiving space 19. The fingers 30 are mounted to the head 1 1 to project from a wall of the slot portion 18b and, in their normally closed position shown, substantially occlude the slot portion 18b. The fingers 30 are preferably made from a silicon elastomer, and are configured to be resiliently deflected inwardly to an open position (not shown) by the user pushing the lock of hair 20 past them. The fingers 30 may be of like dimensions, tapering to narrow from their bases 31 to their tips 32. The fingers 30 may be arranged in a linear array, optionally integrally formed with a mounting strip 33 at their bases 31 , with the mounting strip 33 being secured on a channel in the head 1 1 so that the array may be aligned substantially axially. Compared to gate means hingedly connected to the handle, fingers 30 mounted to the head 11 , particularly in the slot potion 18b, may be much smaller, while also better ensuring the lock of hair 20 actually enters through the slot portion 18b into the hair- receiving space 19 and strands are not clamped against an outer surface of the head 11.

As shown in Fig. 3, all of the fingers 30 may be mounted on the same side of a mouth 35 of the slot portion 18b that is tapered in a transverse plane to narrow toward the barrel 16, and toward a throat 36 of the slot portion 18b. The mouth 35 may have reflective symmetry about a plane 37 bisecting the slot portion 36 along an axis of the throat 36. The throat 36 may be of substantially constant cross- sectional dimensions throughout its axial length, and the width 38 of the throat 36 is substantially narrower than its length 39 in a radial direction. The width 38 of the throat 36 is preferably less than 20% of the diameter of the cylindrical wall 24, and the ratio of the diameter of the cylindrical wall 24 of the barrel 16 to the diameter of the cylindrical wall 25 of the head 1 1 is preferably between 2:3 and 6:7. In the normally closed position, the fingers 30 are elongated generally perpendicular to the plane 37, and are retained within the slot portion 18b.

With reference to Figs. 4 and 5, the hair-receiving space 19 between the cylindrical walls 24, 25 is generally annular and the winder hook 22 is disposed near its innermost end. The winder hook 22 has two opposing concave edges 40, 41 , one of which abuts and hooks the lock of hair 20, depending on the direction of rotation of the winder hook 22. The pitch circle swept by the winder hook 22 as it turns has a substantially larger diameter than the annular hair-receiving space 19 and extends adjacent to the fingers 30. In this way the swept path overlaps a substantial radial extent of the slot portion 18b, ensuring that a lock of hair 20 that has been pushed past the fingers 30 will be caught by the winder hook 22. The displacement of the winder hook 22 parallel to axis 17 may be mechanically driven by its rotation, as by a screw thread (not shown).

These Figs. 4 and 5 also best show the double-walled hollow construction of the head 1 1 , in which the cylindrical wall 25 comprises the mouth of a generally cup- shaped inner wall 46 that is open at the circumferential portion 18a and closed at its opposite end, and which is encompassed by an outer wall 47.

Figs. 6a and 6b illustrate the operation of the outer gate 27, showing the outer gate 27 in its open position (Fig. 6a) and its closed position (Fig. 6b) where it projects to close the circumferential portion 18a, with the hair-engaging surface 28 bounding the space adjacent to the slot portion 18b. The lever operator 13 may be mounted by a transverse pivot 71 to the handle 10 for rotation between open and closed positions, with the pivot 71 disposed near one end of the lever operator 13. The lever operator 13 may include a button portion 72 projecting through an opening in the handle for actuation by the user, and an arm portion 73 extending into the head 1 1 to engage the outer gate 27. The outer gate 27 may be mounted to rotate on a transverse axle 74, and may further include a tongue 75 integral with the gate 27, with a roller 78 fixed at one end. One end of a spring 76 is fixed in one end of a recess 77 in the arm 73 and the opposite end of the spring 76 abuts the tongue 75, urging the roller 78 against the opposite end of the recess 77 when the outer gate is in its open position. Pressing the button portion 72 rotates the lever operator 13, pushing the roller 78 to move along the arm portion 73 from one end of the recess 77 to the other, thereby rotating the outer gate 27 simultaneously. Immediately before the closed position shown in Fig. 6b, the arm portion 73 abuts the start switch 70, providing a signal to the control circuit to start the winder.

These drawings also clearly show that the slot portion 18b is disposed at a longitudinal end of the curling iron 1 , as in an endmost face 52. This provides enhanced ergonomics, compared to having the slot portion 18b providing an opening on the sides of the head 1 1 , as the appliance can be more readily used in a like manner in the left and right hand. The slot portion 18b may aligned such that the axis 17 of the barrel 16 lies in the longitudinal plane 37 that bisects the slot portion and bisects the handle longitudinally.

Figs. 7 and 8, show second and third embodiments of the invention, distinguished from the hair curler 1 by the fingers 130, 230. The array of fingers need not extend along the axial length of the slot portion 18b and, for instance, fingers 130 (individually of like form to the fingers 30) may be disposed in a shorter array proximate the winder member 22 at the inner end of the slot portion 18b. The fingers need not have rotational symmetry about their long axes and, for instance, may have a strip-like form like the fingers 230. The fingers 230 have the form of an oblong or strip in cross section. The strip may be generally axially aligned. The fingers 230 may be fixed near the inner end of the slot portion 18b on opposite sides of the slot portion 18b, staggered axially and overlapping one another longitudinally such that both would be need to be deflected by a lock of hair 20 pressed transverse to the lock into the slot portion.

A fourth embodiment of the hair iron 401 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and is of generally like construction to the first embodiment, although differing in the external form of the outer wall 447 of the head 41 1. The head 41 1 tapers inwardly toward the longitudinal end of the hair iron 401. The lever operator 413 is also elongated along the handle 410. Opposing sides of the mouth 435 have convex surfaces 50.

In use, when the barrel 16 is up to temperature the appliance is located toward the root end 20a of a lock of hair 20, so that the axis 17 is approximately aligned lengthwise with the lock of hair 20, which is then inserted into the slot portion 18b by a generally transverse relative movement. The lock is pressed against the fingers 30, 130, 230, bending them inwards and allowing the lock past, before the fingers are restored to their normal position, in which they retain the lock 20 in the slot portion 18b. With the root end 20a extending from the circumferential portion 18a the user presses the operator 13, and a first part of the displacement of the lever operator 13 moves the outer gate 27 to its closed position, restraining the root end 20a. A second part of the movement of the lever operator 13 may actuate the start switch 70, starting the gear motor 21 to turn the winder hook 22 in a direction selected by the user controls 15 for a predefined number of turns. As the lock 20 is wound about the barrel 16 the free tip 20b is drawn into the hair-receiving space 19. The control circuit measures an elapsed time starting from actuation of the start switch 70 and operates an alarm to indicate when the curling is completed, whereupon the user releases the lever operator 13 and the spring restores the lever operator 13 to an extended position and the outer gate 27 to its open position. With the outer gate 27 retracted, the lock of hair, now curled into a generally helical form, can be readily removed through the open circumferential portion 18a without being deformed.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A curling iron comprising: a body; a barrel having a proximal end fixed within the body and an opposing distal end, the body surrounding the barrel and enclosing a hair-receiving space between the barrel and the body; an element for heating hair in the hair-receiving space, and an opening in the body, the opening comprising a circumferential portion extending about the distal end and a slot portion extending from the circumferential portion toward the proximal end, whereby opposing ends of a lock of hair passing through the hair-receiving space may extend from the circumferential portion and the slot portion.

2. The curling iron of claim 1 further comprising: an outer gate that closes the circumferential portion to restrict movement of the lock of hair about the circumferential portion, and that opens to allow a curled lock of hair to be withdrawn from the hair-receiving space; inner gate means mounted to the body to hold the lock of hair in the hair- receiving space; a winder for winding the lock of hair about the barrel, and an operator pressed by a user to close the outer gate and actuate the winder.

3. The curling iron of claim 2 wherein the inner gate means comprises at least one finger mounted to the body to project in a normally closed position, and which may be resiliently deflected to an open position by the user pushing the lock of hair past the at least one finger.

4. The curling iron of claim 3 wherein the at least one finger is elastomeric.

5. The curling iron of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein and the at least one finger projects into a mouth of the slot portion proximate the winder member.

6. The curling iron of claim 5 wherein a base of the at least one finger is

mounted to a wall of the slot portion.

7. The curling iron of claim 6 wherein the at least one finger tapers to narrow from the base to its tip.

8. The curling iron of claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the mouth is tapered in a transverse plane to narrow toward the barrel and toward a throat of the slot portion.

9. The curling iron of claim 8 wherein the throat has cross-sectional dimensions that are substantially constant throughout its axial length, and a width of the throat in cross-section is substantially narrower than a length of the throat in cross-section.

10. The curling iron of claim 5 wherein the at least one finger comprises a plurality of fingers disposed in a linear array along the slot potion.

11. The curling iron of claim 10 wherein the fingers project from opposite sides of the slot potion.

12. The curling iron of claim 11 wherein the fingers on opposite sides are staggered and overlap one another lengthwise.

13. The curling iron of any one of the preceding claims wherein the body further comprises a handle fixed to a head, the head surrounds the barrel and encloses the hair-receiving space between the barrel and the head, and the proximal end of the barrel is fixed within the head.

14. The curling iron of claim 13 wherein the handle is elongate and an axis of the barrel lies in a longitudinal plane that bisects the slot portion and bisects the handle longitudinally.

15. The curling iron of claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the operator is mounted to the handle and connected to the outer gate by a mechanical linkage.

16. The curling iron of any one of the preceding claims wherein the hair-receiving space is bounded by substantially coaxial cylindrical walls of the barrel and the body, and a ratio of the diameter of the cylindrical wall of the barrel to the diameter of the cylindrical wall of the head is between 2:3 and 6:7.

17. The curling iron of any one of any one of the preceding claims wherein the outer gate opens and closes by sliding or pivoting substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the barrel.

18. The curling iron of any one of any one of the preceding claims wherein the barrel is an assembly of two like half-cylindrical parts.

19. The curling iron of any claim 18 wherein each of the half-cylindrical parts encloses a respective heating element.

20. The curling iron of any one of any one of the preceding claims wherein the winder comprises a member mounted to rotate relative to the barrel through the hair-receiving space substantially about an axis of the barrel, while simultaneously moving parallel to axis of the barrel.