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(11) | EP 1 396 207 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Hairstyling device |
| (57) A hairstyling device which holds hair (H) between a first iron (1) and a second iron
(2) to set. The hairstyling device is constructed as to heat the first iron (1) and
the second iron (2) only with steam. And, the hairstyling device is constructed as
the second iron (2) sucks steam which is jetted out of the first iron (1). |
[0002] Generally. a hair styling device, specifically a curling iron, is provided with two irons to hold hair to set (to arrange hair style).
[0003] And, a conventional hair styling device (curling iron) is constructed as to heat the irons only by electric heaters, or as to jet steam from one iron and heat another iron by an electric heater.
[0004] However, in the conventional hair styling device, in which the irons are heated by electric heaters, the iron may be overheated, and. on the contrary, overcooled when the hair is wet. And, it takes a long time to set whole hair because only a small number of hairs can be set at one time. Further, the iron can be dangerous to scalp and ears when overheated. And, a complicated tight cover construction is required to prevent the steam from leaking out because the hot steam, jetted out of one of the irons, can be dangerous when leaking out. In another case, the hair may be left wet for the jetted steam and the set hair may rapidly return to the state before the set.
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hairstyling device with which hair can be swiftly and certainly set with high safety.
[0006] This object is solved according to the present invention by hairstyling device including the features of claim 1 or claim 2. Furthermore detailed embodiment is described in the dependent claim 3.
[0007] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1A is a working-explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 1B is a working-explanatory view showing the embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a construction-explanatory view including an expanded state of the present invention;
Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view at A - A line of Figure 2;
Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view at B - B line of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an explanatory view showing a used state; and
Figure 5 is a working-explanatory view of a principal portion.
[0008] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0009] A hairstyling device (curling iron) 10 relating to the present invention, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, provided with a first iron 1 and a second iron 2, is constructed as to heat the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 only with steam, and jet the steam from the first iron 1 and suck the steam through the second iron 2. Figure 2 shows an expanded state of the hairstyling device 10, Figure 3A shows a cross-section at A - A line of Figure 2, and Figure 3B shows a cross-section at B - B line of Figure 2. And, the hairstyling device 10 is, as shown in Figure 4, used to set hair H (arrange hair style) by holding the hair H with the first iron 1 and the second iron 2.
[0010] Each of the first and the second irons 1 and 2 is provided with a case portion 3 of which cross-section is U-shaped, a (heat) conduction block body 4 of rectangular parallelepiped fitted into an end of the case portion 3. Base ends of the case portions 3 are connected with a supporting shaft 18 (as to oscillate each other around an axis), a coil spring 5 is attached around the axis (the supporting shaft 18), and the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 are in an open state shown in Figure 1A by receiving forces of the coil spring 5 (always) in parting directions. And, by adding forces to resist the coil spring 5 in closing directions, the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 can be in a closed state shown in Figure 1B in which contact faces 4a of the conduction block bodies 4 contact each other.
[0011] The conduction block body 4 of the first iron 1, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3A, is provided with a heating bore 11 going through a base end face 4b and forming approximately U shape in top view, a jetting bore 12 bored into the base end face 4b as to be I-shaped and surrounded by the heating bore 11, a jetting groove 13 concave on the contact face 4a and facing the jetting bore 12, plural jetting holes 14 connecting the jetting bore 12 and the jetting groove 13, an inlet cylinder portion 15 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an inlet side of the heating bore 11, an outlet cylinder portion 16 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an outlet side of the heating bore 11, and an attachment cylinder portion 17 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an inlet side of the jetting bore 12.
[0012] The conduction block body 4 of the second iron 2, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3B, is provided with a heating bore 21 going through a base end face 4b and forming approximately U shape in top view, a suction bore 22 bored into the base end face 4b as to be I-shaped and surrounded by the heating bore 21, a suction groove 23 concave on the contact face 4a and facing the suction bore 22, plural suction holes 24 connecting the suction bore 22 and the suction groove 23, an inlet cylinder portion 25 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an inlet side of the heating bore 21, an outlet cylinder portion 26 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an outlet side of the heating bore 21. and an attachment cylinder portion 27 protruding from the base end face 4b and connected to an inlet side of the suction bore 22.
[0013] And, as shown in Figure 2, the inlet cylinder portion 15 of the first iron 1 is connected to an outflow side of a boiler 30 (for steam generation) with a steam tube 6 (such as a hose), the outlet cylinder portion 16 of the first iron 1 is connected to the inlet cylinder portion 25 of the second iron 2 with a flexible steam tube 7 (such as a Teflon tube), the outlet cylinder portion 26 of the second iron 2 is connected to a steam trap 31 on a suction side of the boiler 30 with the tube 6. Steam from the boiler 30, as shown with arrows, passes through the heating bore 11 of the first iron 1 through the tube 6 and the heating bore 21 of the second iron 2 through the flexible tube 7, and returns to the boiler 30 through the tube 6 and the steam trap 31.
[0014] And, the attachment cylinder portion 17 of the first iron 1 is connected to an electromagnetic steam valve 32 on an outflow side of the boiler 30 with the tube 6, and the attachment cylinder portion 27 of the second iron 2 is connected to a suction fan 33 with the tube 6. When the electromagnetic valve 32 is opened, steam from the boiler 30, as shown with arrows, is passing through the jetting bore 12 of the first iron 1 through the tube 6 and jetted out of the jetting holes 14, and, the jetted steam is sucked into the suction holes 24 on the second iron 2 by working of the suction fan 33, passing the suction bore 22 of the second iron 2, and let out of the suction fan 33 into the air.
[0015] And, as shown in Figure 1, the first iron 1 is provided with an on-off switch 8 for steam jet and suction on an opposite face to the second iron 2. The switch 8 is electrically connected to the electromagnetic valve 32 and the suction fan 33 mentioned above for switching the opened state to the closed state of the electromagnetic valve 32 and switching the working state to the static state of the suction fan 33. That is to say, the steam jet from the first iron 1 and the steam suction into the second iron 2 can be switched on and off.
[0016] Next, operation method and working (function) of the hairstyling device 10 will be described.
[0017] First, as shown in Figure 4, hair H to be set is held by the first iron 1 and the second iron 2. In this case, the hair H is held by the contact faces 4a of the conduction block bodies 4 of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2.
[0018] The hair H is certainly heated and set by the conduction block bodies 4 always heated on the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 because the steam is always flowing through the heating bores 11 and 21 of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2.
[0019] Further, when the switch 8 (refer to Figure 1) is pushed, the steam can be given to the hair H because the steam is jetted from the first iron 1 and sucked into the second iron 2 as shown with arrows, and the hair H can be quickly set by synergistic effect with heating. In this case. the jetted steam from the jetting groove 13 can be certainly sucked by the suction groove 23 for excellent safety because width dimension of the suction groove 23 is set to be wider than that of the jetting groove 13.
[0020] As described above, the hair H is quickly and certainly set by going through the hairstyling device 10. To describe concretely, waved (or disheveled) hair H can be set straight. And, the hair H can be curled with the contact face 4a of the conduction block body 4 formed into an R-shaped curved face. The hairstyling device of the present invention is not only for personal use, but for business use.
[0021] Temperature of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 can be easily and accurately regulated by the pressure of the boiler 30 (refer to Figure 2), and the amount of jetted steam can be regulated by using the electromagnetic valve 32 with flowing amount regulation (refer to Figure 2). And, the temperature of the jetted steam is preferably 120 °C which can be set by making the pressure of the steam 0.2MPa.
[0022] In the present invention, not restricted to the embodiments described above, positions and configurations of the heating bores 11 and 21, the jetting bore 12, and the suction bore 22, may be changed within the scope of the present invention. And, although not shown in Figures, the on-off switch 8 for steam jet and suction may be disposed not on the first iron 1, but on the second iron 2.
[0023] According to the hairstyling device of the present invention, the hair H can be swiftly and certainly set with the temperature of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 which can be quickly raised to desired temperature, hardly lowered, and stable because the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 are heated only by steam. And, safety is improved because the irons are not overheated. Further, the set of the temperature of the irons can be easily regulated by, for example, regulation of the steam pressure.
[0024] And, the hair H is given heat and steam to be swiftly set because, adding to the heating of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 only by steam, the steam is jetted from the first iron 1 and sucked into the second iron 2. And, the hair H can be swiftly and certainly set with the temperature of the first iron 1 and the second iron 2 which can be quickly raised to desired temperature, hardly lowered, and stable. And, safety is improved because the irons are not overheated, and the jetted steam does not leak out. And, the set hair is prevented from getting wet, and the set state is kept (the hair hardly returns to the state before the set). Further, the set of the temperature of the irons and the jetted steam can be easily regulated by, for example, regulation of the steam pressure.
1. A hairstyling device in which hair (H) is held by a first iron (1) and a second iron
(2) to be set, comprising a construction in which the first iron (1) and the second
iron (2) are heated only by steam.
2. A hairstyling device in which hair (H) is held by a first iron (1) and a second iron
(2) to be set, comprising a construction in which the first iron (1) and the second
iron (2) are heated only by steam, and the steam is jetted from the first iron (1)
and sucked into the second iron (2).
3. The hairstyling device as set forth in claim 2, wherein an on-off switch (8) for steam
jet and suction is disposed on one of the first iron (1) and the second iron (2).