[0001] This invention relates to a hair shaping device for the drying or styling of hair.
[0002] We are familiar from
US 1,491,415 with a hair shaping device comprising a handle component and a heatable hair styling
component. The hair styling component features a curled structure and a hair retaining
clip adapted to the shape of this structure to assist with the spiral curling of locks
of hair on the hair styling component.
This hair shaping device is intended for the styling of hair. Essentially, a heating
unit arranged inside the hair styling component is a suitable way of heating the outer
surface of the hair styling component. This heat helps both to dry and to style locks
of hair.
[0003] The disadvantage of the familiar hair shaping device is that it is relatively unsuited
to tight curling of locks of hair using only a relatively narrow range of the entire
section. This curling technique, frequently used in practice, delivers relatively
high mechanical tension to the locks of hair and therefore an improved styling outcome.
With the previously familiar hair shaping device, this gives rise to the formation
of straight sections of these locks of hair which extend beyond the curled structure.
On the one hand, straight sections of hair of this kind are undesirable in locks of
hair being styled. On the other hand, these straight sections of hair, in contrast
to the relatively tightly curled strands of hair, do not lie on the surface of the
heatable hair styling component, which means that the straight sections of hair are
dried less well than the curled strands which, in overall terms, gives rise to a relatively
long drying process during permanent wave treatment.
[0004] The task faced in this instance is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages associated
with a hair shaping device in accordance with the main heading of Claim 1. This task
is accomplished in accordance with the designating component of Claim 1. In this instance,
the hair shaping component features an elliptical cross section, at least down its
longitudinal axis down one section, and this shape of cross section is retained by
changing the alignment of the ellipse on the cross section in order to achieve the
curled structure down the length of the section.
[0005] The advantage of the proposed hair shaping device is that it can be used to achieve
a wave effect in hair which features no straight strands of hair at all and which
therefore looks relatively natural. By virtue of the fact that all elliptical cross
section surfaces are only differently aligned, but still share the same extent, the
hairs in a single lock of hair can be curled under uniform and relatively high tension,
and these locks of hair then lie evenly on the surface of the heatable hair shaping
component. Using the heat of the hair shaping component, these locks of hair are then
uniformly wave-styled and dried.
[0006] Advantageous embodiments of the proposed hair shaping device are described in Claims
2 to 4.
[0007] A curled lock of hair is held under tension on the hair shaping component if, in
accordance with Claim 2, a hair retaining clip adapted to suit the surface of the
hair shaping component is provided on the hair shaping device and if this hair retaining
clip is connected by means of a joint to the handle section or to the hair shaping
component. The hair retaining clip features an identical curled structure to the hair
shaping component in order, especially under spring force, to apply uniform pressure
to the section holding a curled lock of hair clamped between the hair retaining clip
and the hair shaping component.
[0008] A particularly good wave-styling outcome is achieved if, in accordance with Claim
3, the curled structure, relative to the section with the curled hair shaping component,
constitutes between half a complete turn and three complete turns, but preferably
between one and one-and-a-half complete turns. With curling of this nature, a wave
effect is introduced to hair which approximately corresponds to a natural wave in
hair. Furthermore, a sufficient level of tension can be generated in a curled lock
of hair.
[0009] If an uncurled separating spike is provided at the end of the hair shaping component
(Claim 4), this can be used in an advantageous manner, first to separate out a lock
of hair which needs to be styled and then to curl that lock around the hair shaping
component. Owing to the fact that this separating spike is not curled but instead
describes a pronouncedly tapered shape or a somewhat tapered shape, it is able to
perform its function in a reliable manner, independently of the application angle
of the separating spike.
[0010] In the following section, the proposed hair shaping device is described in more detail
with the help of Figures depicting a practical application, i.e. these show:
- Figure 1
- in a side view, a hair shaping device designed as a curling bar with a curled hair
shaping component, whose curled structure is created by having an elliptical cross
section down the length of the entire hair shaping component which maintains a constant
shape in dimensional terms, only rotated around the length of the hair shaping component
with the ellipse shape only discernible when viewed in cross section;
- Figure 2
- cross section A-A cut as shown in Figure 1 from the hair shaping component depicted
on Figure 1;
- Figure 3
- cross section B-B cut as shown in Figure 1 from the hair shaping component depicted
on Figure 1;
- Figure 4
- cross section C-C cut as shown in Figure 1 from the hair shaping component depicted
on Figure 1;
- Figure 5
- cross section D-D cut as shown in Figure 1 from the hair shaping component depicted
on Figure 1; as well as
- Figure 6
- cross section E-E cut as shown in Figure 1 from the hair shaping component depicted
on Figure 1.
[0011] On a hair shaping device 1 for drying and wave-styling of hair, with a handle section
2 and a heatable hair shaping component 3, hair shaping component 3 exhibits a curled
structure 4. The hair shaping component 3 has an elliptical cross section down its
longitudinal axis along a section 5 corresponding to the entire length of the hair
shaping component 3. This form of cross section is retained by altering the alignment
of the ellipse 6 on this cross section in order to achieve the curled structure 4.
A hair retaining clip 7 adapted to suit the surface of the hair shaping component
3 is provided on the hair shaping device 1. The hair retaining clip 7 is connected
by means of a joint 8 to the hair shaping component 3. The hair retaining clip 7 can
be opened and closed by manually actuating a spring-loaded button 11. When button
11 is released, the hair retaining clip 7 shaped in the same way as structure 4 is
placed back on hair shaping component 3 where it holds down curled locks of hair by
means of spring force.
[0012] The curled structure 4 describes, when related to section 5 with the curled hair
shaping component 3, approximately one and a quarter complete turns. At the end 9
of hair shaping component 3, an uncurled separating spike 10 is formed which is used
for separating out locks of hair for wave-styling.
REFERENCE LIST
[0013]
- 1
- Hair shaping device
- 2
- Handle
- 3
- Hair shaping component
- 4
- Structure
- 5
- Section
- 6
- Ellipse
- 7
- Hair retaining clip
- 8
- Joint
- 9
- End
- 10
- Separating spike
- 11
- Button
1. Hair shaping device (1), in particular for the drying and wave-styling of hair, having
a handle (2) and a heatable hair shaping component (3), where said hair shaping component
(3) exhibits a curled structure (4), characterized in that the hair shaping component (3) features an elliptical cross section down its longitudinal
axis at least down the length of a section (5), and in that this shape of cross section is retained down the length of that same section (5)
while the alignment of the ellipse (6) is altered on the cross section in order to
achieve the curled structure (4).
2. Hair shaping device according to Claim 1, characterized in that a hair retaining clip (7) adapted to the surface of the hair shaping component (3)
is provided on the hair shaping device (1) and that the hair retaining clip (7) is
connected by means of a joint (8) to the handle (2) or to the hair shaping component
(3).
3. Hair shaping device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the curled structure (4), relative to the section (5) with the curled hair shaping
component (3), constitutes between half a complete turn and three complete turns,
but preferably between one and one-and-a-half complete turns.
4. Hair shaping device according to Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that a non-curled separating spike (10) is provided at the end (9) of the hair shaping
component (3).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description