Hair iron

Abstract

 A hair iron is capable of effectively manipulating hair as well as minimizing damage caused to the hair through the provision of elastic members (15,25) mounted on hair-sandwiching members (10,20), and which is also capable of improving the qualitative nature of hair or providing hair care as exemplified by moistening, providing a slick texture to the hair, improving smoothness when finger-combing hair, improving the ease in bundling hair to an appropriate degree, or making hair glossier through the utilization of the effects of negative ions and electromagnetic waves, micro-energy, derived from the multi-element powder.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a hair iron which is utilized to straighten or curl hair as a professional tool utilized at a barber's shop or beauty salon or as a commercial product for home use.

[0002] A hair iron is a tool comprising a pair of hair-sandwiching members (otherwise known as hair-engaging members) which are formed on the tip of a pair of arms mounted so as to be able to swing in a freely open-able manner so that the hair-sandwiching members can move in mutually approaching/separating directions as the arms open/close, consequently it is capable of straightening or curling hair. In such case, as the hair-sandwiching members have been formed with a rigid material such as a metal material or ceramic material, gaps have been created (between the hair-sandwiching members and the hair) when the hair-sandwiching members sandwich the hair, and thus it has not been possible to manipulate the hair effectively, or else the direct heat from the hair-sandwiching members has damaged the hair, which has been problematic.

[0003] In consideration of the problems stated above, such hair iron as stated below has traditionally been proposed: a hair iron comprising a pair of elastic members (cushioning members) which are extended in the direction of the extended arms and which are mounted on the hair-sandwiching members in a manner so that the surfaces of the elastic members protrude from the surfaces of the hair-sandwiching members. An example of this hair iron is to be found in Japanese Patent No. 4152974. The traditional hair iron stated above is capable of sandwiching hair due to the elasticity of the elastic members; consequently, it is capable of manipulating hair effectively as well as minimizing the damage to hair resulting from the direct heat from the hair-sandwiching members, which are advantageous points.

[0004] However, even with the elastic members mounted on the hair-sandwiching members as seen in the traditional model, it has not been possible to improve the qualitative nature of the hair or to provide hair care as exemplified by moistening (providing a slick texture) the hair, improving smoothness when finger-combing hair, improving the ease in bundling hair to an appropriate degree, or making hair glossier, which have been problematic.

[0005] The present invention was developed in order to solve the problems observed with the traditional model as stated above. The purpose of the present invention is, thus, to provide a hair iron that is capable of effectively manipulating hair as well as of minimizing the damage caused to hair through the provision of elastic members mounted on hair-sandwiching members, and which is also capable of improving the qualitative nature of hair or of providing hair care as exemplified by moistening (providing a slick texture) the hair, improving smoothness when finger-combing hair, improving the ease in bundling hair to an appropriate degree, or making hair glossier, through the utilization of the effects of negative ions and electromagnetic waves (micro-energy) derived from multi-element mineral powder.

[0006] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a hair iron, wherein a pair of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 equipped with heating means 11, 12 are formed on the tip of a pair of arms 1, 2 mounted so as to be able to swing in a freely openable manner so that the hair-sandwiching members are able to move in mutually approaching/separating directions as the arms 1 and 2 open/close, a pair of elastic members 15, 25 are extended in the direction of the extended arms 1, 2 and are mounted on the hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 in a manner so that their surfaces (the surfaces of the elastic members 15, 25) protrude from hair-sandwiching surfaces 16, 26; and the elastic members 15, 25 contain multi-element minerals powder obtained by grinding multi-element minerals.

[0007] In a hair iron according to an aspect of the present invention, the multi-element mineral powder may contain far-infrared radiation powder obtained by grinding a far-infrared radiation material.

[0008] The hair iron according to an aspect of the present invention is characterized by a constitution in which the elastic members are mounted on the hair-sandwiching members and the elastic members contain multi-element mineral powder obtained by grinding multi-element minerals.

[0009] By mounting the elastic members on the hair-sandwiching members, it becomes possible to sandwich the hair without any gap (between the elastic members and the hair), this it becomes possible to effectively manipulate the hair as well as to minimize the damage caused to the hair by the direct heat from the hair-sandwiching members.

[0010] The multi-element minerals (multi-element mineral powder) serve to generate negative ions and electromagnetic waves (micro-energy), and the electromagnetic waves (micro-energy) with a wavelength ranging from 4µm to 14µm irradiated from the multi-element minerals (multi-element mineral powder) possess the following effects: the electromagnetic waves electrically change the portion surrounding an atomic nucleus to change the atom and the substance into an excited state (to cause vibration);, consequently, the polymerized cluster of water is cut and shortened, the volume of water is reduced, the specific gravity of water is increased, the water (free water) is caused to sufficiently become adhered to the epicyte of animals/plants, the permeation of Ca²⁺ and water is enhanced within a cell, and thus the functions of the cell are activated. With the effects stated above, in particular, it is possible to enhance the degree of moisture of the hair, and thus it becomes possible to provide a lively look (moisture) and excellent care for the hair.

[0011] As stated above, by causing the elastic members to contain the multi-element mineral powder, it becomes possible to improve the qualitative nature of the hair or to provide hair care as exemplified by moistening (providing a slick texture) the hair, improving smoothness when finger-combing hair, improving the ease in bundling hair to an appropriate degree, or making hair glossier, through the utilization of the effects of negative ions and electromagnetic waves (micro-energy).

[0012] Moreover, by causing the multi-element mineral powder to contain far-infrared radiation powder obtained by grinding a far-infrared radiation material, the far-infrared radiation powder irradiates far-infrared rays, and thus, the hair and the scalp can be warmed from the inside. Consequently, the permeation of chemicals into the hair can be enhanced.

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an oblique view of the hair iron of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is cross-sectional view of the above hair iron along the direction orthogonal to the direction in which its arms extend.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the arms of another embodiment of the hair iron above.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the arms of another embodiment of the above hair iron.

[0014] Hair iron H of a first embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises a pair of arms 1, 2, the bases of which are mounted by means of an axis 3 in a freely openable manner, and a pair of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 are formed on the tip of arms 1, 2 so as to move in mutually approaching/separating directions as the arms 1, 2 open/close.

[0015] The above-stated hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 may be formed with an aluminium material, steel material, stainless material, ceramic material, etc. In the present embodiment, a plate-like material formed with a steel material is used.

[0016] The hair iron H of the present embodiment is a hair straightener that is utilized to straighten hair. However, it is needless to stay that the constitution of the present invention may be applied to a hair curler to curl (wave) hair.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, heaters 11, 21 are mounted as the heating means on the rear sides of the hair-sandwiching members 10, 20, and supporting members 12, 22 are mounted on the rear sides of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20, so that these supporting members 12, 22 are elastically supported by means of rubber members (elastic components) 14, 24 mounted onto facing-side crevices 13, 23 of arms 1, 2.

[0018] Cushioning members, which serve as elastic members 15, 25, are respectively mounted onto the hair-sandwiching members 10, 20.

[0019] In this case, grooves 17, 27 are formed on hair-sandwiching surfaces 16, 26 of the hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 in the direction in which arms 1, 2 extend, and elastic members 15, 25 formed with silicone tubes are inserted into grooves 17, 27 stated above to extend and cover the entire length of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 so as to protrude from hair-sandwiching surfaces 16, 26.

[0020] Examples of materials to be utilized to form elastic members 15, 25 include heat-resistant elastic materials, such as silicon, rubber, polyurethane etc., which are formed into a tube-like shape or a solid-stick-like form.

[0021] Elastic members 15, 25 are respectively mounted onto the pair of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20. In such case, in order to prevent elastic members 15, 25 from mutually facing when hair-sandwiching members 10, 20 are caused to mutually approach as arms 1, 2 close, one elastic member 15 is provided along the left edge of hair-sandwiching member 10 and the other elastic member 25 is provide along the right edge of hair-sandwiching member 20.

[0022] The ways for mounting elastic members 15, 25 may vary in many ways. As shown in Figure 3, multiple or one elastic members(s) 15 may be mounted on either one (in this case, 10) of the pair of hair-sandwiching members 10, 20.

[0023] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4, multiple elastic members 15 may be mounted on either one (in this case, 10) of the pair of hair sandwiching members 10 and 20, and one elastic member 15 is mounted on the other hair-sandwiching 20. Furthermore alternatively, although it is not shown in figures, elastic member 15 which is mounted on one hair-sandwiching member 10 and elastic member 25 which is mounted on the other hair-sandwiching member 20 may be mounted in a manner so that they mutually face when arms 1 and 2 close.

[0024] The point is that the constitution in which one or multiple elastic member(s) is(are) mounted onto one hair-sandwiching member, as well as the constitution in which one or multiple elastic member(s) is(are) mounted onto both of the hair-sandwiching members, are both included within the scope of the present invention.

[0025] In addition to the above, elastic members 15, 20 stated above are caused to contain a multi-element mineral powder obtained by grinding multi-element minerals and far-infrared radiation powder obtained by grinding a far-infrared radiation material.

[0026] Multi-element minerals refer to minerals such as perlite, turpentine, or tourmaline (known as "electric stone"), which contain multiple elements in a balanced manner with silicon being the main component, and the multi-element minerals are known to generate negative ions.

[0027] In order to cause the raw material of elastic members 15, 25 to contain the multi-element mineral powder, the following method may be utilized as an example: the multi-element minerals may be ground into particle sizes ranging from 1 micron to 3 microns by means of a ball mill or a jet mill; the resulting powder is then mixed with the raw material (for example, silicon rubber) of elastic members 15, 25 at a ratio ranging from 5% to 10%.

[0028] In such a case, the multi-element mineral powder is obtained in a favourable manner by appropriately mixing two or more types of multi-element minerals; however, it may be obtained from one type of multi-element mineral.

[0029] Supernatant, which is obtained by mixing the multi-element mineral powder with water, heating the resulting mixture, and then applying pressure to it, as well as powder, which is obtained through the vacuum-freeze-dry method or the spray drying method, may be mixed therein.

[0030] The compositions of a multi-mineral, perlite, are shown in Table 1 below

Table 1:

Anhydrous silicon (SiO2)	71.94%
Aluminium oxide (Al2O3)	14.94%
Iron Oxide (Fe2O3)	2.54%
Magnesium oxide (MgO)	0.44%
Calcium oxide (CaO)	2.47%
Alkaline oxide (K2O+Na2O)	6.87%
Manganese oxide (MnO)	0.03%
Anhydrous phosphoric acid (P2O5)	0.14%
Ignition loss	3.43%
Drying loss (at 100 degrees)	0.07%
Other (Titanium)	Trace

[0031] The ignition loss in Table 1 above is taken from the ignition loss of kaolin as the cosmetics standard.

[0032] Examples of the far-infrared radiation material include alumina (Al₂O₃), titania (TiO₂) ferrite (Fe₂O₃), chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃), silica (SiO₂) yttria (Y₂O₃), magnesia (MgO), etc., and these may be ground to be powder as a simplex or as a mixture to form the far-infrared radiation powder.

[0033] The hair-ironing test results obtained from the utilization of the hair iron of an embodiment of the present invention are shown below.

Facilities at which the test was conducted:

[0034] Test technology Center of KOEI KAGUKU SANGYO ("Koei Chemical Industries, Co., Ltd"), Torishima Building #5, 2-15, Suguwara-cho, Osaka City, Japan.

Details of the test:

[0035] The moisture content of the hair was measured in order to check its smoothness when finger-combing the hair, ease in bundling the hair to an appropriate degree (sense of touch), and moisture.

Types of hair tested:

[0036] 

A: Ordinary hair to which no manipulation is conducted

B: Hair that has been manipulated by means of a hair iron equipped with elastic members which do not contain the multi-element mineral powder or the far-infrared radiation powder (hair which is not ionized)

C: Hair that has been manipulated by means of a hair iron equipped with elastic members which contain the multi-element mineral powder or the far-infrared radiation powder (hair which is ionized according to embodiments of the present invention)

Hair utilized in the test:

[0037] Hair of a 27-year old Japanese female

Method of treating the hair:

[0038] 

1) The hair was soaked and washed with hot water at a temperature of 40°C for one hour, and subsequently it was left to dry without using an electric dryer (the hot water was replaced every 15 minutes).

2) After the hair became dry, the hair iron was utilized under the following conditions.

Conditions under which the hair iron was utilized:

[0039] 

1) Temperature 180°C

2) Sliding rate: 4 seconds per 20 cm of hair, with the hair iron sliding in the direction from the roots to the tips of the hair

3) Pressure applied to the hair when the hair iron was utilized: 70.0 ±2 hectoPasals (hPa).

Calculation of the moisture content

[0040] 

1) The hair was left under an environment of 20°C ±1°C and 30 ±2% relative humidity (RH) for 24 hours.

2) Then the hair was transferred to an environment of 20°C ±1°C and 65 ±2% RH, and left there for 24 hours.

3) Subsequently, the weight of the hair that had been over-dried at 105°C was measured to calculated moisture content.

[0041] The moisture content measurements obtained in the manner as stated above are shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Moisture content (%)

	Moisture content (%)
A. Untreated hair	15.8
B. Hair tested #1 (Hair not ionized)	15.9
C. Hair tested #2 (Hair ionized)	16.1

[0042] As shown in the test results in Table 2 above, the moisture content of the hair tested C was higher than the moisture contents of the hair tested A and B by 0.2% to 0.3%.

[0043] The moisture content being higher by 0.2% to 0.3% makes it possible to say that the hair exhibits the look of being wet, and that its moisture content has significantly improved.

[0044] The hair iron H of embodiments of the present invention heats hair-sandwiching members 10 and 20 by means of heaters 11 and 21, and heated hair-sandwiching members 10 and 20 sandwich the hair to either straighten it or curl it, while the user slides them. At this time, the effects resulting from the negative ions and the electromagnetic waves (micro-energy) generated from the multi-element minerals as well as the effects resulting from the far-infrared rays irradiated from the far-infrared radiation powder improve the qualitative nature of the hair or proved hair care as exemplified by moistening (providing a slick texture) the hair, improving smoothness when finger-combing hair, improving the ease in bundling hair to an appropriate degree, or making hair glossier.

Claims

1. A hair iron arranged to engage hair between two members (10, 20), wherein:

the hair-engaging members (10, 20) are equipped with heating means (11, 12), the hair-engaging members (10, 20) disposed on the tips of each of a pair of arms (1, 2), the arms coupled to each other so as to be able to freely open and close;

the hair iron further comprising a pair of elastic members (15, 25) mounted on the hair-engaging members (10, 20) so that their surfaces protrude from surfaces (16, 26) of the hair-engaging members;

wherein the elastic members (15, 25) contain multi-element mineral powder.

2. A hair iron according to claim 1 in which the multi-element mineral powder is obtained by grinding multi-element minerals.

3. A hair iron according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the multi-element mineral powder contains far-infrared radiation powder obtained by grinding a far-infrared radiation material.

4. A hair iron according to claim 3, in which the far-infrared radiation material comprises perlite, turpentine, or tourmaline.

5. A hair iron according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elastic members (15, 25) are longitudinal and are arranged to extend in the direction of the arms (1, 2) on which the hair-engaging members (10, 20) are mounted.

Drawing