WO2023203087A1

WO2023203087A1 - Device for treating the hair

Info

Publication number: WO2023203087A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/060161
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lionel Reyes; Fabien Normand; Régis FEREYRE
Original assignee: L'oreal; Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2022-04-21
Filing date: 2023-04-19
Publication date: 2023-10-26
Also published as: FR3134690A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for treating the hair, having: - two hair treatment jaws (3, 4) that are movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart configuration for inserting hair to be treated between said jaws (3, 4) and a moved-together treatment configuration, - an external treatment member having at least one external heating surface (13) which extends over at least one of the two jaws (3, 4) towards the exterior of the jaws (3, 4), - at least one end piece (50) made of plastics material, which is mounted removably via complementing shapes on a distal end of a corresponding jaw (3, 4) which bears an external heating surface (13), this end piece (50) having an edge (51) adjacent to the external heating surface (13), along which a stop (52) extends, the latter forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the end piece (50).

Description

Title: Device for treating the hair

Technical field

The present invention relates to devices for treating the hair, and more particularly, but not exclusively, those intended for shaping the hair, in particular for curling and/or straightening the hair.

The invention relates more particularly to curling devices having two jaws that are movable with respect to one another and are able to take up a spaced-apart configuration for introducing a lock of hair between said jaws and a moved-together configuration for treating the lock.

Prior art

Numerous devices of this type have already been proposed. These devices generally have heating plates on their external surfaces around which the locks of hair are wound in order to be curled.

Some devices are also in the form of two arms that are movable with respect to one another and have internal heating plates, between which the locks can be gripped during curling and/or for straightening the hair.

While the device is being used, it may be necessary for the user to manually hold the distal end of the device so as to keep the arms closed over the hair, possibly exerting a pressure on the hair. The user then has to take care not to place their hand on the hot external plates, in order to avoid burns.

JP11032831 and CN205492912 describe devices having non-slip gripping end pieces in the continuation of the heating plates. JP2015104448, EP3187067, US10258132 and FR3028392 additionally disclose the use of fixed non-slip gripping end pieces that also constitute thermal insulation.

In KR10-0916541, JP3178348, EP2953500 and CN204499773 each arm of the device has fixed distal gripping portions having a stop that limits access of the user’s fingers to the hot parts.

There is a need to improve the end pieces of hair treatment devices, in particular to facilitate mounting and removal thereof, while offering sufficient protection against burns. There is thus a need to further improve devices for treating the hair, in particular in order to benefit from a versatile, efficient and safe device that is simple and comfortable to use, operates reliably and has a cost compatible with mass distribution.

There is also a need for a hair curling device that can also be used effectively as a straightener.

Disclosure of the invention

The present invention meets all or some of these needs by virtue, according to one of its aspects, of a device for treating the hair, in particular for shaping, preferably for curling, the hair, having: two hair treatment jaws that are movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart configuration for inserting hair to be treated between said jaws and a moved-together configuration for treating the hair, an external treatment member having at least one external surface for heating the hair to be treated, which extends over at least one of the two jaws towards the exterior of the jaws, an end piece made of plastics material, which is mounted removably via complementing shapes on a distal end of a corresponding jaw which bears an external heating surface, this end piece having an edge adjacent to the external heating surface, along which a stop extends, the latter forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the end piece, better still with a height of between 1.5 mm and 4 mm, even better still between 2 mm and 3 mm.

The expression “forming a protrusion with respect to an external envelope surface of the end piece” should be understood as meaning that the stop protrudes from the highest point of the external envelope surface of the end piece, apart from the stop. This envelope surface may include local reliefs, the stop then protruding by at least 1.5 mm with respect to the local reliefs.

The end piece allows the user to grasp the distal end of the jaw in complete safety. Specifically, the end piece makes it possible to protect the user from an excessive flow of heat coming from the external plate.

In addition, the stop forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to the external surface of the end piece makes it possible to prevent accidental contact of a hand, in particular of the fingers grasping the end piece, with the hot surfaces, in particular the external treatment member or members. Specifically, such a stop forms a sufficient obstacle to prevent the user’s fingers from sliding onto the external heating surface. Moreover, this stop is also a good tactile indicator for telling the user that they have positioned their fingers correctly on the hair treatment device.

Since the end piece is removable, it does not impede the use of the device in different applications, in particular between straightening and curling.

The device may have two arms, the distal parts of which each form one of the two jaws; these two arms are preferably hinged together at their proximal ends, opposite to the jaws, and may each have a half -handle, next to the hinge, with which the user can grasp and handle the device, in particular by pressing on these half-handles to move the jaws from the spaced-apart configuration to the moved-together configuration. In other words, the user will then close the tongs formed by the arms.

Preferably, each jaw has an elongate shape and extends along a longitudinal axis, which is preferably a rectilinear axis.

The device may thus have an elongate shape along a longitudinal, preferably rectilinear, axis in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

External treatment member

The device may have two external treatment members that each extend over one of the jaws and each have at least one external hair heating surface extending over the respective jaw towards the exterior of the device, preferably being on opposite sides to one another on the device in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, the device having two removable end pieces that each have a stop, each stop forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to the external envelope surface of the corresponding end piece, better still with a height of between 1.5 mm and 4 mm, even better still between 2 mm and 3 mm.

Preferably, when there is only one external treatment member having an external heating surface, this member extends over the jaw having the lateral recess.

The or each external treatment member may have an external plate extending over the external surface of the corresponding jaw and having a shape substantially complementary to the latter. The external plate or plates have an external surface for contact with the hair at least partially defining the external heating surface of the external treatment member. The or each external plate may be made of a material that is a good conductor of heat, the external heating surface or surfaces exhibiting a temperature for example greater than 50°C, better still between 55° and 150°C when the device is in use, for example around 90°C.

The or each external surface may be made of metal, or of ceramic, preferably of stainless steel, for example stainless steel 304 according to the standard JISG4305.

The or each external plate may have a thermal conductivity of at least 20 W.nT ^K ¹. Such conductivity allows rapid heating of the external heating surface or surfaces and effective application of heat to the hair.

The or each external heating surface may be elongate along a longitudinal axis of the jaw bearing it.

The external heating surface or surfaces and the internal heating surface or surfaces may at least partially have one and the same space requirement in the median plane of the device extending between the two jaws in the moved-together configuration of the jaws. This makes it possible to use both the internal and external surfaces to treat one and the same lock of hair, if desired, for example during a curling operation.

Preferably, the two external heating surfaces are substantially the same length along their respective jaws.

Preferably, the or each external heating surface has an outwardly convex shape, in particular a semicylindrical shape.

The or each external plate may have fastening elements configured to cooperate with complementary elements of the corresponding jaw; the or each external plate may have inwardly curved longitudinal edges configured to be fastened to the external body of the jaw, in particular by fitting in corresponding longitudinal grooves extending over the external body of the jaw along the longitudinal axis of the jaw. Such fastening of the external plate or plates via curved edges makes it possible not to have a protruding edge comer of the external plate or plates coming into contact with the hair wound around the jaw.

Preferably, the external treatment member extends over only a part of the external surface of the jaw, in particular over the part of the external surface of the jaw that is oriented at least partially towards the opposite side from the internal heating surface of the jaw. Preferably, the or each external plate is separate and distinct from the or each internal plate.

The internal heating surface and the external heating surface that are borne by the same jaw may be heated by thermal conduction via one and the same heat source extending in said jaw.

In a variant, the external heating surface and the internal heating surface that are borne by the same jaw may be heated by respective separate heat sources.

One of the jaws, in particular each jaw, may have a distal portion that does not have an external and/or internal plate for heating the hair, in particular with a sufficient length to be grasped by the user. This distal portion may allow the user to grasp the device in its distal part without burning themselves, this being particularly useful when the device has a member that exerts a pulling force on the hair, such as a comb, as will be shown below, since a greater force may then be necessary to move the device along the hair.

Said distal portion that does not have an external and/or internal plate for heating the hair may extend along a length, along a longitudinal axis of the device, of between 10 mm and 50 mm, preferably between 20 and 40 mm, advantageously between 25 mm and 30 mm.

Said distal portion that does not have an external and/or internal plate for heating the hair may have one or more reliefs that make it possible to keep the finger on the distal portion while limiting the risk of contact with the external heating surface or surfaces.

The length of the or each external treatment member may be between 50 mm and 150 mm, preferably between 80 and 100 mm, advantageously around 88 mm.

The external treatment member, in particular the entire external surface of the jaw over which the external treatment member extends, may be free of projecting combing teeth, in particular free of any projecting relief, preferably smooth, over a length greater than or equal to 50% of its length, better still greater than or equal to 80% of its length, still better still over its entire length.

The external treatment member may be in one-piece.

The width of the jaw carrying the external treatment member, at the level of external treatment member, may be smaller than the width of the other jaw at the same level.

The external treatment member may extend laterally over the entire width of the jaw. The side edges of the jaw, on which the external treatment member extends, may extend laterally strictly between the side edges of the other jaw over the entire length of the external treatment member, in particular the side edges of the other jaw may face each a hollow zone of the jaw on which the external treatment member extends.

Lateral recess

One of the jaws may have a lateral recess along at least a part of the jaw, the lateral recess facing at least a part of the other jaw and being delimited in a proximal and/or distal part of the jaw by a guiding surface affording an obstacle to contain the hair to be treated within the lateral recess.

The lateral recess may be delimited in the proximal and in the distal part by a guiding surface affording an obstacle to contain the hair to be treated within the lateral recess. The fact that the lateral recess is delimited by guiding surfaces on these two sides allows excellent guidance and optimal keeping of the hair in the recess while limiting the risk of it escaping from the recess.

The external surface of the jaw having the lateral recess may not have a protruding longitudinal edge corner extending outwardly from the jaw. The outer surface of the jaw at the recess may thus be curved and continuous without a slope discontinuity with the rest of the surface of the jaw.

The or each guiding surface may have a variable height. The greatest height of the guiding surface or surfaces may be between 0.5 mm and 1 cm, better still between 1 mm and 5 mm. Preferably, the height is at a maximum, for example equal to 5 mm, at its lateral part. In other words, the lateral recess forms an indentation of 5 mm maximum depth.

Preferably, the jaw having the lateral recess has a width measured, at the lateral recess, parallel to the median plane of the device defined by the internal treatment surface in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, that is less than or equal to the width of the other jaw, and in particular has a width of between 50% and 95%, better still between 70% and 90%, of the width of the other jaw.

External guiding portion

At least one jaw, preferably each of the two jaws, may have an external hair guiding portion. The or each external guiding portion may be delimited laterally in the proximal and/or distal part of the jaw, better still in the proximal and distal part of the jaw, by a stop surface such as a shoulder. The or each external heating surface may extend, at least partially, better still entirely in the external hair guiding portion of the corresponding jaw. Preferably, the length of the external guiding portion along the longitudinal axis of the jaw is substantially equal to the length of the corresponding external heating surface along the longitudinal axis of the jaw. As a result, the or each external hair guiding portion may form a visual reference for the user, indicating the external treatment zone, thereby helping to position the hair properly. In addition, the stop surfaces may afford a sufficient obstacle to contain the hair in the guiding portion during curling, thereby making it easier to use the device to curl the hair.

At least one stop surface may comprise a flat portion, particularly in a plane transverse to the jaw, particularly flat over a width at least equal to 50% of the width of the jaw, preferably 80% of the width of the jaw, better still 100%, at the level of said stop surface.

The or each guiding portion may extend over the outer surface of the corresponding jaw, in particular in cross section over the entire outer surface of the jaw. The or each stop surface may extend transversely to the external surface of the jaw, in particular extend in a plane forming a non-zero angle, in particular between 70° and 110°, with the longitudinal axis of the jaw, and in particular extend in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the jaw. The or each stop surface may extend around the entire circumference of the jaw, in particular over the entire outer surface of the jaw in section in its plane of extension.

The lateral recess may extend in the guiding portion of the corresponding jaw, the guiding surface or surfaces being formed by the stop surface or surfaces of the guiding portion.

The or each guiding portion may be formed at least partially, preferably entirely, by the lateral recess on one side of one of a jaw, the other side of said jaw being deprived of lateral recess.

Thus, the stop surface or surfaces of the jaw having the lateral recess may have a variable height, in particular a greater height at the lateral recess. The variation in height of the stop surface or surfaces may be substantially continuous.

Preferably, away from the recess, the height of the stop surface or surfaces is substantially constant. In a variant, the stop surface or surfaces may have a variable height around the or each jaw, even away from the lateral recess. Away from the recess, the greatest height of the stop surface or surfaces may be between 0.2 mm and 4 mm, better still between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.

The or each stop surface delimiting the external hair guiding portion may be at least partially formed by a rib extending over the external surface. The rib is, preferably, thicker opposite the internal heating surface or surfaces than laterally with respect to the internal heating surface or surfaces.

The or each external guiding portion may be set back with respect to a base level of the jaw bearing it, the base level of the jaw being the level of the jaw away from the external guiding portion and from the rib, where appropriate. The guiding portion is therefore a recessed portion of the jaw.

Internal treatment member

The device may have an internal treatment member having an internal surface for heating the hair to be treated, which extends over one of the two jaws towards the other of the jaws in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws and is configured to come into contact with the hair extending between the two jaws in the moved-together configuration thereof.

The device may have an internal counter-bearing surface, facing the internal heating surface in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, which is intended to grip, with the internal heating surface, the hair to be treated in the moved-together configuration of the jaws. The internal counter-bearing surface may have a shape complementary to the internal heating surface.

Preferably, the internal heating surface and the counter-bearing surface are substantially the same length and/or the same width.

The internal counter-bearing surface may also be an internal heating surface of an internal treatment member, the device having, in this case, two internal treatment members that each extend over one of the jaws and each have at least one internal heating surface, the internal heating surfaces facing one another and being configured to grip the hair between one another in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

Preferably, the internal heating surface and the counter-bearing surface have an elongate shape along the jaw that bears them, in particular along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of this jaw. Preferably, the internal heating surface and the counter-bearing surface have treatment surfaces coming into contact with the hair that are substantially planar.

In a variant, the internal heating surface and the counter-bearing surface are not planar, being in particular curved, recessed or wavy.

The internal heating surface may have surface reliefs, in particular protruding reliefs such as teeth. In this case, the counter-bearing surface may be planar or also have surface reliefs, in particular protruding reliefs extending between the protruding reliefs on the internal heating surface in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

Preferably, the internal heating surface has a treatment surface coming into contact with the hair which has a substantially rectangular shape.

The or each internal treatment member may have an internal plate extending between the jaws having a contact surface with the hair, the contact surface with the hair forming the internal heating surface.

The internal plate or plates may be made of a material that is a good conductor of heat, the internal heating surface or surfaces exhibiting a temperature for example greater than 50°C, preferably between 90°C and 230°C in use, advantageously between 180°C and 210°C. The or each internal plate may be made of metal, preferably aluminium, in particular with hard anodization.

The or each internal plate may have a thermal conductivity of at least 20 W.nT ^K ¹. Such conductivity allows rapid heating of the or each internal heating surface and effective heat transfer to the hair extending between the internal heating surface and the counter-bearing surface.

The internal treatment member or members may be mounted on the corresponding jaw by being inserted into a housing in the jaw that opens towards the other jaw.

The or each internal treatment member may have a support bearing the internal plate, the support being mounted in the housing in the corresponding jaw.

The internal treatment member or at least one of the internal treatment members, in particular the support or at least one of the supports, may be able to move in translation in the housing along an axis perpendicular to a median plane of the device extending between the two jaws in the moved-together configuration of the jaws and/or by tilting in the housing. The maximum height of tilting and/or of movement in translation from the rest position of the or each treatment member may be between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

The term “tilting” should be understood as meaning that the internal treatment member or at least one of the internal treatment members, in particular the support or at least one of the supports, can exhibit a rotary movement about at least one axis, it being possible for the movement of the or of each internal treatment member to be a more complex movement, with rotary components about several axes, in particular about or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the or each internal treatment member and/or about or parallel to a transverse axis of the housing. In a manner known per se, the internal treatment member or at least one of the internal treatment members may for example be mounted on a ball joint. The tilting of the internal treatment member or of at least one of the internal treatment members makes it possible to exert a more uniform pressure along the entire length of the internal heating surface and to take into account the closing angle of the jaws depending on the thickness of the hair. This allows uniform application of the heat and pressure to the hair.

The internal treatment member or at least one of the internal treatment members, in particular the support or at least one of the supports, may be mounted in contact, in the housing, with a support means configured to allow the movement of the corresponding internal treatment member in the housing. The support means may be as described in FR3011449.

The support means may be rigid; in a variant, it is elastically deformable. In a further variant, the support means has a zone in which contact is made rigidly and one or more zones in which contact is made with one or more elastic return members which are designed for example to return the corresponding treatment member into a predefined rest position when there is no mechanical loading by the applicator member. The elastic return member or members may be coil springs or leaf springs.

Preferably, the support means allows the internal treatment member to tilt in the housing and has a protruding relief at the bottom of the housing and/or of the corresponding treatment member, in particular of the corresponding support. The protruding relief may be hemi-spherical, or in the shape of a substantially conical tooth, or in the form of a halfcylinder oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the internal treatment member.

In a variant or in addition to the protruding relief, the support means has at least one spring, in particular a leaf spring, disposed in the housing, for example fastened to the bottom of the housing or fastened to the internal treatment member, in particular to the support. The support means may have at least two springs, in particular two coil springs that are disposed in the housing, fastened to the bottom of the housing or fastened to the internal treatment member, in particular to the support, and disposed in particular close to the axial ends of the corresponding internal treatment member. It is then possible for the internal treatment member to tilt on account of the elastically deformable nature of the springs.

The internal treatment member or at least one of the internal treatment members may be able to move along an axis perpendicular to the median plane of the device extending between the jaws in the moved-together configuration of the jaws from a high position along a maximum depression travel defined by a relief of the corresponding internal treatment member, coming into contact with the bottom of the housing, and/or by cooperation between ribs and lateral grooves of the housing and of the internal treatment member, in particular of the support, the grooves being wider than the corresponding ribs, such that the ribs are able to move in translation in the grooves along the abovementioned axis between two positions.

The internal treatment member may extend laterally strictly between the two side edges of the external treatment member.

The internal treatment member may extend laterally strictly between the two side edges of the outer surface of the jaw on which the internal treatment member extends.

Additional treatment member

The device may have an additional hair treatment member extending from one of the two jaws towards the other jaw in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws and arranged on said jaw laterally with respect to the internal treatment member in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

The external surfaces of the jaws may be deprived of any additional treatment member other than the external treatment member(s) mentioned above.

The additional treatment member makes it possible to add to the straightening or curling an additional treatment for improving the quality of the curling or straightening treatment. The fact that it is arranged laterally with respect to the internal plate allows the treatments by the internal plate and by the treatment member not to be simultaneous but in succession, this being advantageous in particular for improving straightening. Preferably, the additional hair treatment member extends over the jaw opposite the one bearing the recess. It may extend at least partially in the part of the jaw facing the lateral recess.

The additional treatment member may have a protruding element, in particular a comb, which extends from the jaw at least partially in the direction of the other jaw. The protruding element may be accommodated at least partially, in particular at least at its end, in the recess when the device is in the moved-together configuration of the jaws. This makes it possible to obtain a device that is particularly compact while improving the styling result and the ergonomics of the appliance, as will be described in detail below. The additional treatment member may extend parallel to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding jaw along the or each internal heating surface in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, being separated from the latter.

The term “separated” should be understood as meaning that the treatment member is offset from the heating surface by a non-zero distance, when the device is viewed along its longitudinal axis.

The additional treatment member may have at least one steam outlet and/or a cosmetic product applicator member and/or a member that exerts a pulling force on the hair, in particular a comb.

When the additional treatment member has a cosmetic product applicator member, the cosmetic product applicator member may have a porous member soaked with a cosmetic composition, in particular fed with product by a reservoir in contact with the porous member or with the aid of a dispensing mechanism which is actuated automatically or manually while the device is being used. The cosmetic product applicator member may be a refill mounted removably on the device.

The cosmetic composition may be a composition for cleaning, dyeing, bleaching, conditioning or shaping the hair. Preferably, the use of the device involves the application of at least one composition for shaping the hair. This composition for shaping the hair may be a composition for curling, setting, relaxing or straightening the hair, preferably for relaxing or straightening the hair.

The cosmetic composition may contain at least one active agent chosen from reducing agents, in particular thiols, oxidizing agents, in particular hydrogen peroxide or persalts (for example persulfates), colouring agents, in particular pigments, direct dyes or oxidation dyes. The cosmetic composition may also contain at least one active agent chosen from temporary shaping agents, in particular styling polymers that are preferably anionic, amphoteric or non-ionic, conditioning agents, in particular silicones, mineral or plant oils, plant waxes, cationic surfactants and cationic polymers, alkaline agents and acids.

Preferably, the cosmetic composition contains at least one agent chosen from oxidizing agents, reducing agents or alkaline agents of the hydroxide type.

Preferably, the additional treatment member has at least one steam outlet, in particular a longitudinal row of steam outlets or an elongate steam outlet, in particular in the form of a slot, along the longitudinal axis. The steam outlet or outlets extend preferably over the jaw that does not have the recess. The steam outlet or outlets preferably face an internal surface of the other jaw that is separate from the internal heating surface. The internal surface facing the steam outlet or outlets may have a steam containment hollow or groove facing the steam outlet or outlets. Alternatively or in addition, the steam outlet or outlets may extend in a hollow or a groove in the jaw that bears it/them.

Preferably, the additional treatment member has a comb. The latter extends preferably over and from the jaw that does not have the lateral recess in the direction of the other jaw. Preferably, it extends at least partially facing the lateral recess in the moved- together configuration of the jaws.

The comb may improve the distribution of the hair over the device for the treatment by the internal surface and/or the external surface, thereby improving in particular the distribution of the heat over the hair and the uniformity of the treatment of the hair.

The comb may be arranged on the corresponding jaw such that the distal end of its teeth is spaced apart by a non-zero distance from hair wound under tension around the two jaws in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

The distal end of the teeth of the comb may be spaced apart, in the moved- together configuration of the jaws, from the jaw opposite the one bearing the comb, by a non-zero distance.

The comb may be spaced apart from the internal treatment member by a distance, measured between the edge of the internal treatment member, in particular of the internal plate, on the comb side and the base of the teeth on the internal treatment member side, of between 5 mm and 15 mm, preferably between 8 and 9 mm. The height of the teeth of the comb may be between 5 and 10 mm, preferably between 7 and 9 mm.

The comb may be removable, in particular mounted by sliding in a housing such as a longitudinal groove in the jaw. The comb may be kept in the housing by cooperation of shapes between the base of the comb and the longitudinal groove; in particular the base of the comb may have a relief cooperating with a complementary relief of the housing. The comb may have a gripping extension extending out of this housing when it is mounted on the corresponding jaw, making it easier to extract the comb from and insert it into its housing.

Preferably, the additional treatment member has a comb as described above and one or more steam outlets as described above, the steam outlet or outlets extending between the comb and the internal surface or surfaces for heating the hair. Such implantation makes it possible to clearly distinguish the treatment of each element.

End piece

The device may have two removable end pieces configured to be mounted removably by complementing shapes on the distal ends of the two jaws. The two end pieces may each have an edge adjacent to the external heating surface, along which a stop extends, each stop forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the corresponding end piece, better still with a height of between 1.5 mm and 4 mm, even better still between 2 mm and 3 mm.

The or each end piece may have a shell with a shape substantially complementary to that of the jaw that it covers, in particular have an ogive shape complementary to that of the distal end of the jaw. In other words, the or each end piece conforms to the shape of the end of the jaw that it covers.

This or these end pieces thus make it possible for, or even encourage, the user to handle the styling device with two hands, this being particularly appreciable, in particular when a relatively significant pulling force is necessary, when straightening for example, or when great precision is necessary, when curling for example, or during intensive use of the hair treatment device on third parties, for professional stylists for example, seeking to reduce muscular effort.

The external heating surface may be positioned between the end piece and the proximal end of the jaw, the end piece not covering or only partially covering the external heating surface, in particular covering less than 10%, better still less than 5% of the external heating surface, in particular covering at least 0.5 mm of the external surface, for example 1 mm.

The or each end piece may have on its internal surface a fastening, in particular snap-fastening, relief configured to cooperate with a complementary relief of the jaw.

The end piece may extend at least as far as a guiding surface delimiting the recess on the distal side of the jaw.

Preferably, the end piece extends at least as far as the stop surface delimiting the external guiding portion on the distal side of the jaw, and in particular covers, preferably with its stop, the stop surface forming the stop surface, in particular by covering at least a part of the external guiding portion, in particular of the external heating surface. The stop may extend over the external guiding portion, in particular over the external heating surface, over a distance along the longitudinal axis of less than or equal to 5 mm, better still less than or equal to 3 mm, even better still less than or equal to 1.5 mm, and/or greater than or equal to 0.5 mm.

The or each end piece may have on its internal surface a fastening, in particular snap-fastening, relief configured to cooperate with a complementary relief of the jaw. The fastening relief may be a slot configured to receive the stop surface, in particular the shoulder bordering the guiding zone, in particular the rib forming the shoulder. The slot may have a variable depth. The slot may have a shape complementary to that of the stop surface, in particular to that of the rib.

The fastening relief may be arranged under the stop, extending in particular under the entire length of the stop.

The or each end piece may have a first portion configured to extend facing the other jaw, a second portion configured to extend outwardly between the distal end of the jaw and the external heating surface, and a connecting portion of complementary shape to the distal end of the jaw and configured to connect the first and the second portion.

The or each end piece may be in contact over substantially its entire internal surface with the external surface of the jaw over which it extends.

The end piece or pieces may be made of a thermoplastic polymer or of an elastomer.

The end piece or pieces are preferably made of a material that is resistant to a temperature of at least 60°C, better still at least 100°C. Preferably, the or each end piece is in one piece.

The end piece, apart from the stop, may be smooth. The term “smooth” should be understood as meaning that the end piece, apart from the stop, does not have any relief forming a protrusion of more than 0.5 mm, better still more than 0.2 mm. The or each end piece may have a part of its external surface, between its distal end and the stop, in particular the external surface of the second portion, better still all of the external surface of the end piece, which is substantially smooth.

The end piece may have a thickness, away from the stop and/or slot, that is substantially constant, in particular between 1 and 2 mm, preferably substantially equal to 1.5 mm.

The or each end piece may be configured to be mounted by being moved in translation along a longitudinal axis of the jaw at the distal end of the latter.

The end piece mounted on the distal end of the jaw bearing the treatment member may have a notch allowing the free extraction of a comb or any other accessory through the opening of a housing of the jaw when the end piece is mounted on the jaw.

The stop may extend transversely to a longitudinal axis of the jaw, across the entire width of the end piece.

The stop may have a height that is substantially constant along its entire length. In a variant, it has a variable height.

The stop may have a length, along the longitudinal axis of the jaw when it is mounted on the latter, of at least 2 mm, for example between 2 mm and 6 mm, better still between 3 mm and 5 mm.

Treatment method

A further subject of the invention is a method for treating the hair with the aid of one of the devices as defined above. The method may be straightening or curling the hair or making it wavy. The method for treating the hair may involve the insertion of a lock of hair between the two jaws and/or against at least a part of the external heating surface of the device and the movement of the device along the lock of hair, preferably from the root to the tip thereof, in particular keeping said device in the moved-together configuration of the jaws.

The method may involve the movement of the device along a lock of hair to carry out at least a heat treatment of the lock of hair by gripping between the two jaws and bearing against the internal surface by way of the counter-bearing and/or external surface of the device.

The method may also have a step during which the device is made to rotate about its longitudinal axis so as to wind the hair around one or more external heating surfaces.

The lock of hair entering the treatment device and leaving the treatment device has preferably undergone a change in orientation about the device greater than or equal to 150°, in particular greater than or equal to 200°, even better still greater than or equal to 250°. The curling angle may be at least 270°.

During the heat treatment by the external heating surface, the lock of hair may be guided against the external plate by the guiding portion of the device.

Preferably, the additional treatment member has at least one steam outlet and the step of treatment with the additional treatment member involves a steam application step.

When the additional treatment member has a comb and one or more steam outlets, the treatment step with the additional treatment member may involve a step of combing the hair and a steam application step, the combing step preferably being carried out before the steam application step as the device moves over the lock of hair.

The method may involve the winding of the lock of hair around the two jaws in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, in particular when the device has an external heating surface on each of the jaws.

The steps of the method are preferably carried out in succession along the lock of hair, in particular from the root of the hair to the tip, in the following order:

Optionally combing and/or steam treatment / internal heat treatment / guidance of the hair / external heat treatment by winding over one or two jaws, or

Optionally combing and/or steam treatment / internal heat treatment / bearing against the first edge of the internal plate or of one of the internal plates / external heat treatment by the external heating surface of one of the jaws / guidance by the recess / optionally external heat treatment by the external heating surface of the other jaw.

The steam application is carried out, preferably, with a steam flow rate of less than or equal to 1 g/min.

The method may involve the application of a pressure to the distal end of the jaws in order to keep the jaws in the moved-together configuration so as to exert a greater force on the hair in said configuration of the jaws. The method may involve the fitting of the end piece or pieces as described above on the distal end of one or of both jaws before the application of said pressure.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention may be understood better from reading the following detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments thereof and from examining the appended drawing, in which:

[Fig 1] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example of a device according to the invention,

[Fig 2] Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the distal end of the device in Figure 1,

[Fig 3] Figure 3 illustrates a view in cross section of an example of a device according to the invention,

[Fig 4] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of Figure 3 in the region of the treatment member,

[Fig 5] Figure 5 illustrates a perspective and partial view of the distal end of the device in Figure 1,

[Fig 6] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of Figure 3,

[Fig 7] Figure 7 illustrates an enlarged view of an edge of one of the internal plates of the device in Figure 3,

[Fig 8] Figure 8 illustrates, in isolation, the internal plates and the housings of the device in Figure 3,

[Fig 9] Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of the distal end of a device having thermal protection end pieces according to the invention,

[Fig 10] Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through the distal end of the device in Figure 9, and

[Fig 11] Figure 11 illustrates a perspective view, in isolation, of the end pieces in Figure 9.

Detailed description

In the rest of the description, elements that are identical or have identical functions bear the same reference signs. For the sake of conciseness of the present description, they are not described for each of the figures, only the differences between the embodiments being described.

Figures 1 and 2 show an example of a hair treatment device 2 according to the invention.

This device 2 has two jaws 3 and 4 that are movable with respect to one another between a spaced-apart configuration (not shown) for the introduction of a lock of hair between said jaws, and a moved-together treatment configuration, illustrated in Figure 1.

The jaws 3 and 4 are borne by an upper arm 5 and a lower arm 6, respectively, which, in the example in question, are connected together at one of their ends by a hinge 8, the device 2 thus forming tongs.

The arms 5 and 6 define, between the hinge 8 and the jaws 3 and 4, respective half-handles 10 and 11 on which the user can press in order to move the jaws 3 and 4 together and thus grip the hair extending between the two jaws.

The width of the arms 5 and 6 at the half-handles 10 and 11 is less than that at the jaws 3 and 4. In a variant, the widths could be substantially identical, or the width of the arms 5 and 6 at the half-handles 10 and 11 could even be greater than that at the jaws 3 and 4.

The jaws 3 and 4 each have a convex outer surface and a substantially planar inner surface.

An elastic return member (not visible) is preferably provided to return the jaws 3 and 4 into the spaced-apart configuration, this elastic return member being for example a spring disposed around a pin of the hinge 8.

The invention is not limited to a particular manner of connecting the arms 5 and 6 together and the jaws 3 and 4 may be rendered able to move in some other way without departing from the scope of the present invention. However, the presence of a hinge is largely preferred for the ergonomics that it affords.

The device 2 extends, for example, along a longitudinal axis X. The device 2 has a line 17 designed to be able to supply the energy necessary for operation of the device. The line 17 may thus be an electric cord designed to connect the device to the electric mains. Without departing from the scope of the invention, the line could also be a fluidic line designed to supply the device with fluid (water for example).

The device may have a water reservoir for the production of steam. A user interface (not shown in the figures) may be present on the device 2 in order to allow the user to control the operation of the device.

Heating plates

The device 2 has an internal surface 45 for heating hair to be treated on each of the two jaws 3 and 4 facing the other of the jaws, and facing one another in the moved- together configuration of the jaws 3 and 4 so as to define, between one another, a heated treatment zone in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws 3 and 4. The two internal heating surfaces 45 are, for example, configured to grip between one another the hair extending between the two jaws 3 and 4 in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws 3 and 4.

The two internal heating surfaces 45 are substantially planar, but do not have to be. They could have complementary wavy shapes or complementary curved shapes for example.

The internal heating surfaces are, in the example illustrated, formed by the contact surface of internal plates 16 made of a heat conducting material that each extend over one of the jaws. Each internal plate 16 constitutes an internal treatment member of the device.

In a variant that is not illustrated, only one of the jaws 3 or 4 may bear an internal plate 16 having a heating contact surface facing a counter-bearing surface of the other jaw 3 or 4. The counter-bearing surface may be formed by the body of the jaw or by an element attached to the jaw.

In the example illustrated, the internal plates 16 are each mounted in the cavity 30 of a support 9, which itself is mounted in a housing 38 of the corresponding jaw 3 or 4. The internal plates 16 are each mounted fixedly on the support 9. At least one of the supports 9 is mounted so as to be movable in its housing, as will be set out below. In a variant that is not illustrated, the internal plates may be mounted directly in the housing and optionally be movable in the corresponding housing, or the internal plates may be mounted on the support while being movable in the cavity, the support being fixed in the housing.

At least one of the supports 9 is movable perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the jaw in its housing 38, between a high position spaced apart from the bottom of the housing and a low position moved together therewith. The travel of the support 9 and the tilting thereof advantageously make it possible to position the internal heating surface 45 in the closed position of the device, such that the hair is gripped substantially uniformly and effectively during the treatment between the internal heating surfaces, thereby improving the straightening of the hair by the device.

The support 9 bears against a support means 140 that extends in the housing 38, allowing the support to carry out a tilting movement and, in the open position of the arms 5 and 6, keeping the support 9 in the high position.

The support means 140 may have one or more springs 141, in particular a spring as illustrated, extending between the bottom of the housing 38 and the support 9, or a leaf spring fixed in an indentation in the support 9 or in the bottom of the housing 38. The support means may, in a variant or additionally, have a protruding relief between the support 9 and the bottom of the housing 38, allowing the tilting movement and limiting the travel of the support in the housing. For example, in the example illustrated, the support means has a ball joint compressed by a spring, as is described in the patent application FR3011449.

The support 9 that is movable perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis may have a peripheral seal 33 providing sealing between the support 9 and the housing 38 while allowing the support 9 to move in the housing, as was described above. Such a seal allows in particular the sealing of the housing with respect to the steam output by one or more steam outlets, as will be described below.

The device 2 also has two external surfaces, formed by external plates 13, for heating the hair to be treated, which each extend over one of the two jaws 3 and 4 towards the exterior of the device 2 in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws 3 and 4, in particular over the convex outer surface of the jaw 3 or 4, and are on opposite sides to one another on the device 2 in the moved-together configuration of the jaws 3 and 4.

Each external plate 13 is disposed on a face of the corresponding jaw 3 and 4 that faces away from the face receiving the internal plate 16 borne by the same jaw 3 or 4.

In the example illustrated, the external plates 13 are made of stainless steel and the internal plates 16 are made of aluminium. However, other materials that are good conductors of heat, in particular other metals, could be used.

The external plates 13 may be metal sheets that are flexible or preformed so as to have a convex shape complementary to the external surface of the jaw 3 and 4.

The external plates 13 may be in one-piece. The external plates 13 may be free of any projecting combing teeth.

The width of the jaw 3 at the level of external plates 13 may be smaller than the width of the other jaw 4 at the same level.

The external plates 13 may extend laterally over the entire width of the jaw 3 and 4.

The side edges of the jaw 3 may extend laterally strictly between the side edges of the other jaw 4 over the entire length of the external plates 13, in particular the side edges of the other jaw 4 faces a hollow zone of the jaw 3.

The external plates 13 are fixed to the jaw 3 or 4 by any suitable means. For example, the external plates 13 have longitudinal edges 90 that are curved inwardly and configured to each be fixed in a groove or a corresponding lateral housing 91 of the corresponding jaw 3 or 4.

The external plates 13 and the internal plates 16 are preferably elongate along the longitudinal axis Y1 or Y2 of each of the jaws 3 and 4.

The external plates 13 and the internal plates 16 are at least partially superposed on one another along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the device 2.

The internal plates 16 extend between the two side edges of the external plates 13.

The device 2 may, as illustrated, have a distal portion, at the opposite end from the hinge 8, which does not have a heating plate. This distal part may be domed and be wide enough to be able to be grasped by a hand, in particular while the device 2 is being used.

The internal plates 16 may be heated at a temperature greater than 50°C, better still between 90°C and 230°C.

The external plates 13 may be heated at a temperature greater than 50°C, better still between 60 and 100°C.

In the example illustrated, the internal plate 16 and the external plate 13 borne by the same jaw 3 or 4 are heated by thermal conduction by a single heat source 14 extending in said jaw and visible in Figure 3. However, this does not have to be the case, and the device 2 could in particular have several heat sources, respectively for the internal plates and the external plates.

In the example illustrated in Figure 3, each internal plate 16 has a first lateral edge 31 and a second lateral edge 36 opposite to the first edge 31, the edges 31 and 36 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis Y1 or Y2 of the corresponding jaw. The internal plates may be off-centre on the corresponding jaw such that the first edge 31 is closer to the adjacent lateral edge 100 of the corresponding jaw than the second edge 36 is to the adjacent lateral edge 101 of the corresponding jaw.

The internal plates 16 may protrude beyond the housing 38 laterally on both sides of the jaw and have a lateral extension defining the first lateral edge 31 that is longer in cross section of the device than the lateral extension defining the second edge 36.

As illustrated in Figure 6 for the jaw 3, the first edge 31 may be configured such that, when the spring 141 is not compressed, an angle P formed between a median plane Z of the device 2 extending between the jaws 3 and 4 in the moved-together configuration of the jaws 3 and 4 and hair under tension bearing on the first edge 31 of the internal plate 16 and on an adjacent outer surface of the jaw 3 or 4 bearing the internal plate, illustrated by the plane C, is less than or equal to 120° and strictly greater than 90°, better still equal to 105°±5°, better still equal to 105°±3°, notably at rest for example equal to 105°.

As visible on figure 6, the device 1 comprises a groove between the first lateral edge 31 of the internal plate 16 and said adjacent outer surface of the jaw 3 or 4 bearing the internal plate 16 and that extends substantially along the longitudinal axis of the corresponding.

Said adjacent outer surface is offset from the internal plate 16 by a non-zero distance when the device 1 is viewed along its longitudinal axis.

The first lateral edge 31 extend so that it forms a protruding relief on the jaw 3 or 4.

The internal plates 16 may protrude laterally at rest from the housing 38 at the first edge 31 only by a width Ls of 1 mm.

As illustrated in Figure 6, each internal plate 16 may be spaced apart, at rest, from a plane P lying laterally on the adjacent outer surface of the two jaws 3 and 4 by a distance Dp less than or equal to 6 mm, better still less than or equal to 5.5 mm.

The first edge 31 of the internal plate 16 of the jaw 3 may have an edge comer 40 configured to come into contact with hair under mechanical tension during the treatment. This hair is depicted by the plane C lying on the first edge 31 of the internal plate 16 and on an adjacent outer surface of the jaw 3. The edge comer 40 may be rounded with a radius of curvature equal to 1.5 mm. The support 9 may protrude, at rest, from the jaw 3 or 4 in the direction of the other jaw 3 or 4 by a height Hl of at least 2 mm, for example 4 mm.

This distance makes it possible to avoid contact between the surface of the plate protruding beyond the support 9 of the plate and the surface of the jaw bordering the housing 38 facing said surface of the plate during the movement of the support 9 in the housing 38 via the spring 141.

As illustrated in the enlarged view in Figure 7, the first edge 31 having the edge comer 40 may have a second, planar part 122 that is oriented away from the jaw 4. This part 122 is parallel to the surface 45 of the internal plate 16.

The second part 122 extends, for example, from the edge comer 40 to a rib 125 of the internal plate 16, this rib 125 engaging in the seal 33 of the support 9 of the jaw 3.

Each internal plate 16 has a plurality of these ribs 125, as illustrated in Figure 8. For example, a rib 125 is formed by a curve in the internal plate 16 at its second edge 36.

The thickness Eb of the first edge 31 bearing the edge corner 40 is less than the thickness Ep of the internal plate 16, away from the various ribs 125.

As illustrated in Figure 8, each internal plate 16 has a cavity 130 configured to receive the heating element 14. This cavity 130 is formed by two parallel walls 131 extending orthogonally to the surface 45 and a wall 132 connecting the two walls 131.

For example, as illustrated in Figure 8, each wall 131 has reliefs 135 that help to keep the internal plates 16 on the support 9.

As illustrated in Figure 8, the first edge 31 of the internal plate 16 of the jaw 4 is not in contact with the support 9, unlike the second edge 36.

The first edges 31 and the second edges 36 are, for example, offset transversely from one another by a non-zero distance Db.

The first edge 31 of the internal plate 16 of the jaw 4 may be curved without having a protmding edge corner.

The second edges 36 of the internal plates 16 of the jaws 3 and 4 do not extend laterally with respect to the housings 30 and are curved so as not to have a protmding edge comer.

The position and the shape of the first edges 31 and in particular of the edge comer 40 allow, during curling, an improvement in the result since it increases the bending angle of the hair and produces, on passing over the edge corner 40, an effect equivalent to that obtained by a protruding edge comer passing at a particular angle over a gift ribbon. Moreover, the internal plates 16 protrude beyond their support 9, the first edge 31 is closer to the adjacent external surface 32, making it possible to move closer to the roots of the hair to be treated compared with appliances of the prior art.

The radius of curvature with respect to the longitudinal axis Y1 of the external plate 13 of the jaw 3 may be smaller than that of the external plate 13 of the jaw 4 with respect to the longitudinal axis Y2.

External guiding portion

In the examples illustrated, each jaw 3 and 4 has an external hair guiding portion delimited longitudinally, on each of its two sides, by a stop surface 18 formed by a shoulder. The external hair guiding portion is defined, for example, by the external plates 13.

The stop surface 18 may comprise a flat portion, particularly in a plane transverse to the jaw, particularly flat over a width at least equal to 50% of the width of the jaw, preferably 80% of the width of the jaw, better still 100%, at the level of said stop surface 18.

The shoulders 18 may have a variable height He, for example varying between 0.5 mm on the external surface of the jaw extending laterally with respect to the internal plate 16 and 2 mm on the external surface of the jaw opposite to the internal plate 16.

Each shoulder 18 may be formed by ribs delimiting the external hair guiding portion. The rib is, preferably, thicker on the opposite side from the internal plates 16 than on the sides of the internal plates 16.

Each external guiding portion is set back with respect to the base level of the jaw 3 or 4, defined as the level of the jaw 3 or 4 away from the shoulders 18. Thus, each guiding portion has a visible width li and h, illustrated in Figure 3, that is smaller than and set back from the rest of the jaw 3 or 4.

The external plates 13 may extend along the entire length of the external guiding portion.

One of the jaws has a lateral recess 170 at the corresponding guiding portion. The recess 170 is delimited laterally by the stop surfaces in the proximal and distal part of the jaw delimiting the guiding portion. These stop surfaces form, at the shoulder, guiding surfaces 20 with a greater height, making it possible to keep the hair in the recess 170. The recess 170 extends laterally with respect to the jaw and faces a part of the other jaw 3 or 4. As a result, a part of the internal surface 16 of the other jaw 3 or 4 gives onto the recess 170, making it possible to have at least a part of an additional treatment member extending from the other jaw into the recess 170, in particular a comb, as will be shown below, and affords new treatment possibilities. Preferably, the recess 170 has a uniform depth along the longitudinal axis of the device X such that the outer surface of the jaw has a substantially cylindrical shape along the recess 170, meaning that it has an identical cross section along the recess 170.

There is preferably no lateral recess on the other side of said jaw.

On account of the presence of the recess 170, the width li of the jaw bearing the recess is smaller at said recess 170 than the width h of the other jaw facing said recess 170. The width li is between 30 mm and 50 mm and is, for example, equal to 38 mm. The width h is between 40 mm and 60 mm and is, for example, equal to 47 mm.

Additional treatment member

In the examples illustrated, the device 2 has an additional hair treatment member 12 that extends from the jaw 4 towards the other jaw 3 in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws 3 and 4 and is arranged on said jaw 4 laterally with respect to the internal plate 16.

The additional treatment member is only present on the internal part of the jaw 4. The external parts of the jaws, 3 and 4 are deprived of any additional member other than the external plate 13.

The member 12 extends longitudinally and parallel to the longitudinal axis Y2 along the second edge 36, opposite to the first edge 31, of the internal plate 16 of the jaw 4, being separated from this internal plate 16, when the device 2 is viewed along its longitudinal axis X.

The member 12 may have a steam outlet 21 and a comb 22, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The comb 22 may be disposed, removably, in a housing such as a longitudinal groove 35, visible in Figure 2. The user can thus change or remove the comb 22 as desired.

The groove 35 may have a rectangular cross section and open out at the distal end of the jaw 4. The comb 22 may have, in the distal part of the device 2, an element 46 that makes it possible to grasp the comb 22 when it is being introduced into the groove 35 or extracted therefrom.

The comb 22 may extend, for example, along the entire length of the guiding portion. In a variant, it could extend over only a part of the guiding portion.

The steam treatment may be ensured by virtue of a vaporization member formed by an element heating an evaporation chamber 19 supplied with water by a reservoir situated in one arm of the device, or, in a variant, by a remote reservoir. The device may have an electrically driven pump, preferably a peristaltic pump, that draws up the water to be sent to the device 2 from a reservoir of water. The pump is for example as disclosed in the publication FR 2 967 018. The evaporation chamber may be produced in accordance with the teaching in the application EP 2449909A1 or in a different way.

The evaporation chamber 19 may be disposed on one of the arms, namely the lower arm 6 in the example in question, and the steam outlet 21 is provided on the same arm 6.

The steam outlet 21 may be in the form of a strip, with a shape that is elongate in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis Y2.

The strip may have several orifices for spraying steam, for example between 4 and 10 orifices, preferably 7, which are preferably distributed evenly along the strip and each have an axis oriented substantially perpendicularly to the median treatment plane.

The vaporization member is electrically powered and a temperature sensor is advantageously disposed in the evaporation chamber 19. The device is designed to keep the temperature of the evaporation chamber at a value of between 110°C and 130°C.

The steam produced which passes out of the outlets 21 is partially contained between the steam outlet 21, the internal heating plates 16 and the other jaw 3, in particular by virtue of the presence of a containment groove 500, visible in Figure 3. This partial containment improves the application of the steam to the hair.

The comb 22 may be disposed facing the recess 170 of the other arm 5, illustrated in Figure 2, such that the end of its teeth are accommodated in the recess 170.

The comb 22 may be arranged on the jaw 4 such that the distal end 23 of the teeth of the comb is spaced apart by a non-zero distance from hair wound around the two jaws 3 and 4. To this end, the comb 22 is configured such that, for any cross section of the device in the moved-together configuration of the jaws, for example that in Figure 4, the tangent T, which may for example fictitiously represent the hair, to the two jaws 3 and 4, extending on the side of the device bearing the comb 22, is at a distance from the comb 22.

The smallest distance Dd between the distal end 23 of the teeth of the comb 22 and the tangent T may be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, better still greater than or equal to 1 mm, for example equal to 3 mm.

When the user winds hair around the jaws 3 and 4, in particular when curling, the hair under tension follows, between the two jaws 3 and 4, the tangent T. Thus, the wound hair does not pass through the comb 22, making the styling operation easier.

The distal end 23 of the teeth of the comb 22 is, for example, offset laterally, in the moved-together configuration of the jaws 3 and 4, from the opposite jaw 4, in this case from the jaw at the recess 170 by a distance Dde greater than or equal to 0.5 mm, preferably greater than 1 mm. This ensures that the teeth of the comb 22 cannot interfere with the jaw 4 at the recess 170.

The height Hde of the teeth of the comb 22 may be between 5 mm and 15 mm, preferably between 7 and 10 mm, for example around 8 mm.

The teeth of the comb 22 may have a rectangular cross section.

In the example illustrated, the combination of the external guiding portion, of the edge corner 40 and of the heat from the external plates 13 produces high quality curling of the hair.

In addition, the device 2 may also operate as a straightener, without any loss of straightening quality compared with a conventional device dedicated only to straightening the hair.

End piece

In the example in Figures 9 to 11, the device 2 has two end pieces 50 made of plastics material and/or rubber. Each end piece 50 is mounted removably by complementing shapes on a distal end of the corresponding jaw 3 or 4.

Each end piece 50 may have an edge 51 adjacent to the external plate 13 along which a stop 52 extends transversely to the longitudinal axis Y1 or Y2 of the jaw 3 or 4. The stop 52 forms a protrusion with a relatively constant height Hs, for example at least 1.5 mm, with respect to an external envelope surface 55 of the end piece 50 situated on the distal side with respect to the stop 51. The stop 52 extends across the entire width of the end piece 50.

For example, the edge 51 extends over the entire distal end 66 of the external plate 13.

Apart from this stop, the two stops 50 have for example a smooth outer surface 64 without reliefs. Specifically, the dimensions of the stop 52 have been defined such that the stop 52 is sufficient by itself to stop the user’s fingers and advantageously to form a tactile indicator of the proper positioning of their fingers.

Apart from at the stop 52, each end piece has for example a thickness of between 1 and 2 mm, preferably substantially equal to 1.5 mm.

Each end piece 50 may have a shell 56 with a shape substantially complementary to that of the jaw 3 or 4 that it is intended to cover, for example an ogive shape complementary to the distal end of the jaw 3 or 4.

Each external plate 13 may be positioned between the end piece 50, when the latter is mounted on the device 2, and the proximal end of the jaw 3 or 4. For example, the end piece 50 covers less than 5% of the external plate 13, for example covers it by 1 mm.

Each end piece 50 extends over the rib forming the shoulder 18 on the distal side of the external guiding portion, when it is mounted on the device 2.

Each end piece 50 extends from the distal end of the jaw 3 or 4 to the external guiding portion by covering a distal part of the external guiding portion, when it is mounted on the device 2.

Each end piece 50 has, on its internal surface, a slot 57 configured to receive the rib forming the shoulder 18, in particular by snap-fastening.

As illustrated in Figure 11, the slot 57 may extend under the entire length of the stop 52 and have a variable depth.

As illustrated in Figure 9, each end piece 50 may have a first portion 60 configured to extend facing the other jaw 3 or 4, a second portion 61 configured to extend outwardly between the distal end of the jaw 3 or 4 and the external plate 13, and a connecting portion 62 of complementary shape to the distal end of the jaw 3 or 4 and configured to connect the first portion 60 and the second portion 61. This enveloping shape of the end pieces 50 exhibits both flexibility, allowing deformation for fitting the end pieces 50 on the jaws, and sufficient stiffness to ensure a proper hold on the jaws 3 and 4.

This enveloping envelope shape also makes it possible to increase the safety and the comfort of the user of the device, when the latter is equipped with end pieces 50, since more of the surface of the device is protected.

The internal surface 63 of each end piece 50 may be complementary to the external surface of the jaw 3 or 4 over which the end piece 50 extends, each end piece 50 being configured to be in contact over substantially its entire internal surface 63 with the external surface of the corresponding jaw 3 or 4.

The end piece 50 configured to be mounted on the distal end of the jaw 4 bearing the comb 22 has a notch 65 intended to face the groove 35 into which the comb 22 is intended to be inserted. This notch 65 allows the free extraction of the comb 22 through the distal opening of the groove 35 when the end piece 50 is mounted on the jaw 4. The ergonomics of the appliance are improved since it is not necessary to remove the end piece 50 in order to remove the comb. Of course, it is conceivable, without departing from the scope of the invention, for this notch 65 to be designed to allow the passage of any other accessory, for example a block of cosmetic.

Each end piece 50 may be made in one piece from a thermoplastic polymer material that resists a temperature of at least 60°C.

Each end piece 50 may be configured to be mounted by being moved in translation along the longitudinal axis Y1 or Y2 of the jaw 3 or 4, until the rib of the shoulder 18 has been clip-fastened in the slot 57. In order to remove the end pieces 50, the user can unclip the end piece 50 by removing the rib of the shoulder 18 from the slot 57 and then moving the end piece 50 in translation.

The width of the end piece 50 between the distal end of the jaw 3 or 4 and the stop is sufficient to allow it to be grasped by a user’s hand during the use of the device. The stop 52 makes it possible to avoid accidental contact of the user’s hand with the external heating plate 13, thereby limiting the risk of bums and improving the safety of use, but also preferably giving the user a tactile indication of the positioning of their finger, thus improving the ergonomics and intuitiveness of the device 2. Moreover, when the hair treatment device 2 is equipped with an internal treatment member, in particular with an internal heating surface 45, the presence of the end pieces 50 on the end of the jaws 3, 4 makes it possible to reduce the temperature of the end of the jaws 3, 4 remarkably, thereby improving the comfort of use of this zone which is, without the end pieces, relatively hot, without, however, presenting the risk of burns, like the treatment surfaces.

Methods

To curl or straighten hair with the aid of the device 2, a lock of hair can be moved over the device 2 between the internal plates 16 and/or by passing over one external plate or the external plates 13, passing or not passing through the treatment member 12.

The hair treatment method for curling may involve the movement of the device 2 along a lock of hair from the root to the tips to carry out the following successive steps: a. A treatment of the lock of hair with the member 12, in order to comb the hair in the comb 22 and to apply steam via the outlet 21, and b. A first thermal treatment of the lock of hair by contact between the internal plates 16 of the device 2. c. A second thermal treatment of the lock of hair by applying tension against the external plate 13 of the jaw 3.

Preferably, the lock of hair undergoes a change in orientation about the device 2 of at least 270° during the treatment.

At the end of step b of thermally treating the hair between the internal plates 16, the lock of hair undergoes, between the first edge 31 and the adjacent external surface 32 of the jaw 3 around which the lock of hair is wound, a change of orientation of 100°.

At the end of step b of heating the hair on the internal plates 16, the hair is moved over the edge comer 40, making it possible to produce the abovementioned gift ribbon effect.

Another application of heat on the external plate 13 of the jaw 4 could also be carried out.

During step c, the hair is correctly contained in the external guiding portion by virtue of the recess 170 and the shoulders 18.

For this curling method, it is possible to use the end pieces 50 in order to have better handling of the device 2, without the risk of burns. In the case of a hair treatment method for straightening, this may involve the movement of the device 2 along a lock of hair from the root to the tips to carry out the following successive steps: a. A treatment of the lock of hair with the member 12, in order to comb the hair in the comb 22 and then to apply steam via the outlet 21, and b. A first thermal treatment of the lock of hair by contact between the internal plates 16 of the device 2.

The invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described.

The device may have a cosmetic product applicator member that is or is not removable, having a porous element configured to come into contact with the hair between the jaws in the moved-together configuration of the latter.

Claims

1. Device (2) for treating the hair, in particular for shaping, preferably curling, the hair, having: two hair treatment jaws (3, 4) that are movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart configuration for inserting hair to be treated between said jaws (3, 4) and a moved-together configuration for treating the hair, an external treatment member having at least one external surface (13) for heating the hair to be treated, which extends over at least one of the two jaws (3, 4) towards the exterior of the jaws (3, 4), at least one end piece (50) made of plastics material, which is mounted removably via complementing shapes on a distal end of a corresponding jaw (3, 4) which bears an external heating surface (13), this end piece (50) having an edge (51) adjacent to the external heating surface (13), along which a stop (52) extends, the latter forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the end piece (50).

2. Device according to Claim 1, wherein the stop (52) protrudes by a height (Hs) of between 1.5 mm and 4 mm, even better still between 2 mm and 3 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the end piece (50).

3. Device (2) according to Claim 1 or 2, having two removable end pieces (50) configured to be mounted removably via complementing shapes on the distal ends of the two jaws (3, 4), the two end pieces (50) each being able to have an edge (51) adjacent to the external heating surface (13), along which a stop (52) extends, each stop (52) forming a protrusion of at least 1.5 mm with respect to an external envelope surface of the corresponding end piece (50), better still with a height (Hs) of between 1.5 mm and 4 mm, even better still between 2 mm and 3 mm.

4. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one jaw (3, 4), preferably each of the two jaws (3, 4), has an external hair guiding portion, the or each external guiding portion being delimited laterally in the distal part of the jaw (3, 4), better still in the proximal and distal part of the jaw, by a stop surface (18) such as a shoulder, the or each external heating surface (13) extending at least partially, better still entirely, in the external hair guiding portion of the corresponding jaw (3, 4), the end piece (50) extending at least as far as the stop surface (18) delimiting the external guiding portion on the distal side of the jaw (3, 4), and in particular covers, preferably with its stop (50), the stop surface (18), in particular by covering at least a part of the external guiding portion, in particular of the external heating surface (13).

5. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each end piece (50) has on its internal surface (63) a fastening, in particular snap-fastening, relief configured to cooperate with a complementary relief of the jaw.

6. Device (2) according to Claim 5, wherein the fastening relief is a slot (57) configured to receive the stop surface (18) bordering the guiding zone.

7. Device (2) according to either of Claims 5 and 6, wherein the fastening relief is arranged under the stop (52), the fastening relief extending in particular under the entire length of the stop (52).

8. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end piece (50), apart from the stop (52), is smooth.

9. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the external heating surface (13) is positioned between the end piece (50) and the proximal end of the jaw (3, 4), the end piece (50) not covering or only partially covering the external heating surface (13), in particular covering less than 10%, better still less than 5% of the external heating surface (13), in particular covering at least 0.5 mm of the external surface, for example 1 mm.

10. Device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, having an internal treatment member having an internal surface (45) for heating the hair to be treated extending over one of the two jaws (3, 4) towards the other of the jaws (3, 4) in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws (3, 4) and configured to come into contact with the hair extending between the two jaws (3, 4) in the moved-together configuration thereof, and an additional hair treatment member (12) extending from one of the two jaws (3, 4) towards the other jaw (3, 4) in the moved-together configuration of the two jaws (3, 4) and arranged on said jaw (3, 4) laterally in the moved-together configuration of the jaws (3, 4) with respect to the internal treatment member.