WO2018042100A1

WO2018042100A1 - Hairstyling apparatus equipped with a system for locking a water tank and a wick in a steam production position

Info

Publication number: WO2018042100A1
Application number: PCT/FR2017/052224
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacky Chelle; Martial Maisonneuve; Fabien Normand; Baptiste Bonnemaire
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2016-09-01
Filing date: 2017-08-11
Publication date: 2018-03-08
Also published as: RU2019107119A3; RU2019107119A; FR3055194A1; KR20190041514A; EP3506788B1; CN207707458U; RU2736250C2; EP3506788A1; KR102322372B1; CN107788665B; CN107788665A; FR3055194B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a hairstyling apparatus (1) for curling hair, comprising a mandrel (3), a tile (4) hinged to the apparatus to form a clamp with the mandrel so as to move the tile between a position in which it is separated from the mandrel and a position in which it presses against the mandrel. The apparatus comprises a heating element, a tank (10) of liquid, a wick (13) secured to the tank and communicating with same so as to be imbibed with liquid, and guide means arranged between the tank and the mandrel so as to allow the tank and the wick to move between a passive position and an active position in which the wick is in contact with the heating element (21) in order to create steam. The hairstyling apparatus (1) comprises a locking/unlocking system (22) configured to keep the tank and the wick in the active position.

Description

HAIRSTARING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH A LOCKING SYSTEM OF A WATER TANK AND A VAPORIZED WATER TANK

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of hairdressing appliances for curling hair, and particularly to such hairdressing appliances equipped with a steam production system which comprises a liquid reservoir, a wick impregnated with the liquid and a heating element on which comes into contact said wick.

In addition, such a hairdressing appliance comprises a mandrel and a tile, these elements being articulated to form a clamp so as to allow the pinch of a lock of hair to wrap around the mandrel and thus loop it. State of the art

It is known patent applications WO0167915A2 and EP1894488A1 relating to such hairdressing appliances having the above characteristics, which allows to generate steam during the completion of the looping of the lock of hair.

The liquid reservoir is arranged at the end of the mandrel and the wick impregnated with liquid is integral with the reservoir and communicates therewith so as to be soaked with said liquid. A heating element is placed in the mandrel. Guiding means are arranged between the reservoir and the mandrel so as to allow the displacement of the reservoir and the wick between a passive position and an active position in which the wick is in contact with the heating element for the creation of steam. This steam is generated by manually moving the tank and the wick.

During the looping operation of the lock of hair, the user must pinch the lock of hair, wrap it around the mandrel and then hold down the reservoir so that the wick soaked in liquid remains in contact with the heating element. way to generate steam continuously. This makes the current hairdressers with such characteristics uncomfortable. In addition, the user must himself count the duration of vaporization of the lock of hair in order to achieve treatment of the lock of curly hair by vaporization for a suitable period, this duration must be neither too short for the treatment to be effective, nor too long not to degrade the hair. This requires extra attention from the user during styling. In addition, the time of application of the steam is very variable, depending on the counting speed of the user. The user must keep the wick pressed on the heating element for the entire defined duration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

The invention has the primary objective of preventing the user from having to constantly maintain the reservoir in the supported position for steam creation during the completion of a loopback operation.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a hair styling device for looping the hair. The hairdressing apparatus comprises a mandrel and a tile articulated on the apparatus for forming a clamp with the mandrel so as to move the tile between an unobstructed position of the mandrel for positioning a lock of hair, and a position of support against the mandrel, allowing the pinch of the lock of hair in order to then perform the looping operation. The hairdressing apparatus also includes a heating element and electrical means for activating said heating element.

In addition, the hairdressing apparatus comprises a reservoir of liquid and a wick integral with the reservoir and communicating therewith so as to be soaked with liquid. Guiding means are arranged between the reservoir and the mandrel so as to allow the displacement of the reservoir and the wick between a passive position and an active position in which the wick is in contact with the heating element for the creation of steam.

Furthermore, the hairdressing apparatus comprises a locking / unlocking system which is configured to maintain the reservoir and the wick in the active position, which prevents the user from having to hold the reservoir and the wick in said active position during the entire looping operation. According to a preferred embodiment of the hairdressing apparatus object of the invention, the locking / unlocking system is configured to maintain the active position of the reservoir and the wick when the tile is in the bearing position against the mandrel. This will start the looping and spraying operation only after pinching the lock of hair. Conversely, the locking / unlocking system is configured to allow the release of the reservoir and the wick to its passive position when the tile is in the open position of the mandrel. However, it is possible to provide variant embodiments according to which the locking / unlocking system fulfills the aforementioned holding and clearance functions, independent of the position of the tile with respect to the mandrel.

According to this preferred embodiment of the hairdressing apparatus, the locking / unlocking system comprises a first locking element disposed on the reservoir and a second locking element disposed at a distal end of the tile. Said locking elements are configured to cooperate and ensure the holding in position of the tank vis-à-vis the tile when said tile is in the support position against the mandrel and the tank and the wick are in the active position.

According to one embodiment, the first locking element and the second locking element are configured to snap into each other so as to ensure said holding in position of the reservoir vis-à-vis the tile. However, variants of first and second locking elements could be envisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Preferably, according to this embodiment, the first locking element comprises a U-shaped elastic piece provided with a narrowing and the second locking element comprises a pad arranged on an inner face of the tile, the narrowing ensuring the maintenance the elastic piece engaged on the stud.

According to the hairdressing apparatus object of the invention, the locking / unlocking system comprises means for returning the reservoir and the wick to the passive position. This ensures an automatic stopping of the steam, without requiring additional manipulation of the hair styling apparatus. According to the hairdressing apparatus object of the invention, the reservoir comprises a filling opening, which allows reuse of the reservoir once emptied of its liquid. According to the hairdressing apparatus object of the invention, it comprises a system for detecting the active position of the reservoir and the wick. This makes it possible to detect the beginning of the vaporization operation during the looping of a lock of hair.

In a preferred embodiment of the hairdressing appliance, the heating element comprises a vaporization plate against which the wick comes into contact in the active position. In addition, the detection system comprises means for detecting a drop in temperature of said vaporization plate occurring when the wick impregnated with liquid is in contact with said vaporization plate.

In the presence of such a system for detecting the active position of the reservoir and the wick, the hairdressing apparatus which is the subject of the invention preferably comprises a counting unit, the detection system being configured to trigger the unit of detection. counting when the tank and the wick move from the passive position to the active position. This allows the user to avoid having to count the hold time of the lock of hair wrapped around the mandrel during the spraying operation. Brief description of the figures

The following description of a preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the hairdressing apparatus highlights the features that are the subject of the present invention. This description is based on figures, among which: Figure 1 illustrates an overview of a hairdressing apparatus with a tile resting against a mandrel;

Figure 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the hairdressing apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the distal end of the hairdressing apparatus of Figure 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the liquid reservoir at the end of the mandrel, highlighting a female locking element;

Figure 5 illustrates a view of the end of the tile, showing a male locking member;

Figure 6 schematically a system for detecting the active position of the reservoir and the wick, implemented in the mandrel. detailed description

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hairdressing appliance 1 comprises a body 2, a mandrel 3, a tile 4. The body 2 is configured to manipulate said hairdressing appliance 1 during its use. The mandrel 3 is cylindrical and extends the body 2 along a longitudinal axis X. The tile 4 is circular in shape adapted to that of the mandrel 3. The proximal end 5 of the tile 4 is attached to a handling finger 6 which is articulated vis-à-vis the distal end 7 of the body 2. A pressure on the rear portion 8 of the handling finger 6 allows the tile 4 to move to an unobstructed position of the mandrel 3, to allow the introduction of a wick between a mandrel 3 and a tile 4. A spring 9, arranged between the distal end 7 of the body 2 and the handling finger 6, makes it possible to move the tile 4 in the bearing position against the mandrel 3, such that illustrated in FIG. 1, when one stops pressing said manipulating finger 6, which allows the pinch of a lock of hair (not shown) positioned between said mandrel 3 and said tile 4. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the hairdressing apparatus 1 comprises a reservoir 10 which comprises carries an opening 1 1 at its proximal end 12. This opening 1 1 makes it possible to fill the reservoir 10 with liquid. A wick 13 is mounted in a tubular part 14 which is fixed with the reservoir 10 at this level. proximal end 12, said wick 13 communicating with the opening 1 1, which allows to imbibe. The reservoir 10 and the tubular part 14 are mounted in sliding connection on the distal end 15 of the mandrel 3, which makes it possible to translate said elements and the wick 13 along the longitudinal axis X, vis-à-vis said mandrel 3, so as to move the assembly (reservoir 10, tubular piece 14 and wick 13) of an active position in which the proximal end 16 of the wick 13 bears against a spray plate 17, as illustrated in FIG. 3, allowing the creation of steam, to a passive position in which the proximal end 16 of the wick 13 is disengaged from said spraying plate 17. A spring 18 arranged in the bottom 19 of the tubular piece 14 bears against the distal end 20 of the wick 13 to hold it properly resting against the spray plate 17 in said active position. The vaporizer plate 17 is in contact with a heating element 21, for example a thermistor with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), which makes it possible to heat said vaporization plate 17 by thermal conduction. The heating element 21 furthermore makes it possible to heat the mandrel 3. A locking / unlocking system 22 is arranged on the hairdressing apparatus 1 to hold the reservoir 10, the tubular piece 14 and the wick 13 in the aforementioned active position. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, this locking / unlocking system 22 is implemented between the contour wall 23 of the reservoir 10 and the distal end 24 of the tile 4. The contour wall 23 comprises a groove 25 which opens onto its proximal end 26, as illustrated in FIG. 4. This groove 25 receives a U-shaped elastic piece 27, said elastic piece 27 having a constriction 28, as illustrated in FIG. constitutes a first locking element. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a stud 29 extends on the side of the inner face 30 of the tile 4, at its distal end 24. The stud 29 constitutes a second locking element configured to be housed in the elastic part 27. When the tile 4 bears against the mandrel 3, in the pinching position of a lock of hair, and the tank 10 is in the passive position, the stud 29 is positioned in the groove 25 outside the the resilient piece 27. When the reservoir 10 is then moved into the active position, said elastic piece 27 engages on the stud 29 until the constriction 28 projects beyond said stud 29, thus allowing the latching of the elastic piece 27 on the pad 29 or vice versa, which ensures the maintenance of the reservoir 10 in this active position and, consequently, the maintenance of the wick 13 impregnated with liquid against the spray plate 17. As illustrated in FIG. , means of return 31, such as a spring are arranged between the spray plate 17 and the tubular part 14, this spring for exerting a force on said tubular part 14, in the direction of an arrow 32. The snap of the stud 29 in the resilient piece 27 maintains the position of the reservoir 10 vis-à-vis the tile 4, despite this force exerted by said spring. On the contrary, when the tile 4 is moved in the position cleared from the mandrel 3 by the user, the stud 29 disengages from the elastic piece 27, which allows the spring to push back the tubular piece 14 and the tank 10 (and the wick 13) in the passive position, stopping the production of steam.

Advantageously, the hairstyling apparatus 1 comprises a system for detecting the active position of the reservoir 10, the tubular piece 14 and the wick 13, according to which steam is generated. This detection system comprises means 33 for detecting a temperature drop of said vaporization plate 17, these detection means 33 themselves comprising a temperature sensor, preferably a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor. This temperature sensor is positioned in contact with the internal face 34 of the vaporization plate 17, as 6 when the proximal end 16 of the wick 13 comes into contact with the external face 35 of the vaporization plate 17, said vaporization plate 17 undergoes a sudden drop in temperature, which is detected by the sensor of temperature. The temperature sensor transmits the information of the drop in temperature to an electronic control unit 36, shown in FIG. 2, integrating a counting unit which has a duration, for example of ten seconds, during which the creation must be maintained. of steam and heating of the mandrel 3 after the lock of hair wrapped around said mandrel 3. This duration can be set by the user according to indexed values of the duration of exposure to steam, for example 5, 8 or 10 seconds this setting being accessible from a user interface disposed on the hairdressing appliance 1. Once the time has elapsed, the counting unit transmits the information to the electronic control unit 36 which triggers an audible signal, for example a beep, or even a light signal, indicating to the user to release the tile 4 screw-to -vis the chuck 3, to clear the tank 10 and the wick 13 in the passive position and stop the creation of steam, before removing the lock of curly hair.

The reservoir 10 is removable from the distal end 15 of the mandrel, which allows access to the opening 1 1 on said reservoir 10, to perform its filling liquid. For this, the proximal end 12 of the reservoir 10 is removably assembled, in particular by snapping, with the bottom 19 of the tubular part 14.

The preceding description makes it possible to grasp the essence of the invention without limiting its scope. Thus, other variants can still be envisaged, particularly as regards the implementation of the locking / unlocking system to ensure the maintenance of the reservoir 10, the tubular part 14 and the bit 13 in the active position. This locking / unlocking system could for example be designed between the reservoir 10 or the tubular part 14, on the one hand, and the distal end 15 of the mandrel 3, independently of the position of the tile 4.

Other characteristics are conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it would be possible to provide a cover (not shown) for opening the distal end 37 of the reservoir 10 to fill it with liquid without having to disassemble said reservoir 10 with respect to the distal end 15 of the mandrel 3.

Claims

A hair styling apparatus (1) for wrapping the hair, comprising a mandrel (3), a tile (4) articulated on the apparatus to form a clamp with the mandrel so as to move the tile between a free position of the mandrel and a bearing position against the mandrel, a heating element (21), a reservoir (10) of liquid, a wick (13) integral with the reservoir and communicating therewith so as to be soaked with liquid, and guiding means arranged between the reservoir and the mandrel so as to allow the displacement of the reservoir and the wick between a passive position and an active position in which the wick is in contact with the heating element for the creation of steam, characterized in that apparatus comprises a locking / unlocking system (22) configured to maintain the reservoir and the wick in the active position.

Hairdressing appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the locking / unlocking system (22) is configured to maintain the active position when the tile (4) is in the bearing position against the mandrel (3) and to allow the release of the reservoir (10) and the wick (13) to its passive position when the tile is in the open position of the mandrel.

Hairdressing appliance (1) according to claim 2, wherein the locking / unlocking system (22) comprises a first locking element (27) disposed on the reservoir (10) and a second locking element (29) arranged on a distal end (24) of the tile (4), said locking elements being configured to cooperate and maintain the position of the reservoir (10) vis-à-vis the tile when the tile is in the bearing position against the mandrel (3) and that the reservoir and the bit (13) are in the active position.

A hairdressing apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein the first locking member (27) and the second locking member (29) are configured to snap into each other.

A hairdressing apparatus (1) according to claim 4, wherein the first locking member (27) comprises a U-shaped resilient piece provided with a constriction (28) and the second locking member (29) comprises a stud arranged on an inner face (30) of the tile (4), the narrowing ensuring the holding of the resilient piece engaged on the pad.

6. Hairdressing appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking / unlocking system (22) comprises return means (31) of the reservoir (10) and the wick (13) to the position passive.

Hairdressing apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (10) comprises a filling opening.

8. Hairdressing appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which comprises a system for detecting the active position of the reservoir (10) and the wick (13).

Hairdressing apparatus (1) according to claim 8, wherein the heating element (21) comprises a vaporization plate (17) against which the wick (13) comes into contact in the active position, the detection system comprising means (33) for detecting a temperature drop of said vaporizer plate (17).

Hairdressing appliance (1) according to one of claims 8 or 9, which comprises a counting unit, the detection system being configured to trigger the counting unit when the tank (10) and the wick (13). move from the passive position to the active position.