Patent Application
20240122324
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The disclosure relates to hair curling devices and more particularly pertains to a new hair curling device for curling dreadlocked hair.
The prior art relates to hair curling devices which form curls or waves in hair. Some of these devices automatically rotate the curling implement and many also use heat to dry the hair into the curled formation. However, the prior art does not disclose a device which clips the end of a dreadlock onto a rotating element while heating the element to curl the dreadlock.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a handle having a first end and a second end and defining an interior space. A curling member extends from the first end of the handle, and the curling member is rotationally coupled to the handle. The curling member has a proximal end relative to the handle and a distal end relative to the handle. The curling member has an outer wall with an outer surface. The outer wall defines a hollow space, and the curling member is configured for being wrapped by a dreadlock. The curling member is configured for selectively rotating to curl the dreadlock. A hair clip is coupled to the outer surface of the outer wall of the curling member and defines a notch which extends away from the handle. The hair clip is configured for containing an end of the dreadlock within the notch, thereby securing the end of the dreadlock to the curling member. A motor is operationally coupled to the curling member such that the motor selectively rotates the curling member relative to the handle. The motor is also positioned within the interior space A drying coil is positioned within the hollow space and is configured for selectively converting an electrical power into a drying coil heat, thereby drying the dreadlock when the dreadlock is wrapped around the curling member.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A moisture reservoir 38 has a base portion 40 extending from the outer surface 30 of the outer wall 28 of the curling member 22 at the proximal end 24 of the curling member 22. The moisture reservoir 38 has a perimeter wall portion 44 that is cylindrical and which is coupled to a perimeter edge 42 of the base portion 40 of the moisture reservoir 38 and extends away from the handle 12. The perimeter wall portion 44 has a distal end 46 relative to the base portion 40. The moisture reservoir 38 defines a cavity 48 between the curling member 22 and the moisture reservoir 38 which is configured for containing a quantity of water within the cavity 48.
A hair clip 50 is coupled to the outer surface 30 of the outer wall 28 of the curling member 22 proximate the moisture reservoir 38. The hair clip 50 has a pair of clip portions 52 which each extend away from the curling member 22. Each clip portion 52 has a concave surface 54 facing the other clip portion 52. The hair clip 50 defines a notch 56 between the pair of clip portions 52 which extends away from the handle 12. The hair clip 50 is configured for containing an end 58 of the dreadlock 36 within the notch 56, thereby securing the end 58 of the dreadlock 36 to the curling member 22.
A plurality of grips 60 is positioned across the outer surface 30 of the outer wall 28 of the curling member 22. Each grip 60 extends from the curling member 22 and tapers away from the curling member 22 to an associated point 62. Each grip 60 is constructed of a flexible and resilient material. Each grip 60 is configured for pulling the dreadlock 36 when the dreadlock 36 is wrapped around the curling member 22 and the curling member 22 rotates, thereby facilitating the curling of the dreadlock 36.
An aperture 64 extends through the distal end 26 of the curling member 22 to the hollow space 32. A rod 66 is rotationally coupled to the handle 12 and extends through the aperture 64 and the hollow space 32. The rod 66 has a cap portion 68 which is positioned in abutment with the curling member 22 at the distal end 26 of the curling member 22, thereby securing the curling member 22 to the rod 66. A pair of shrouds 70 is coupled to and extends from the first end 14 of the handle 12, each shroud 70 having a distal end 72 relative to the handle 12. Each shroud 70 diverges from each other shroud 70 from the handle 12 to the distal end 72 of each shroud 70. Each shroud 70 has a concave surface 74 which faces the curling member 22.
A motor 76 is operationally coupled to the rod 66 such that the motor 76 selectively rotates the rod 66 relative to the handle 12. The motor 76 is positioned within the interior space 20. A gear box 78 is positioned within the interior space 20 and between the motor 76 and the rod 66. The gear box 78 operationally coupling the motor 76 to the rod 66.
Each of a pair of drying coils 80 is positioned between the rod 66 and the curling member 22. The pair of drying coils 80 is configured for selectively converting an electrical power into a drying coil heat, thereby drying the dreadlock 36 when the dreadlock 36 is wrapped around the curling member 22. A vaporizing coil 82 is positioned within the hollow space 32 along the outer wall 28 of the curling member 22 at the proximal end 24 of the curling member 22. The vaporizing coil 82 is configured for selectively converting the electrical power into a vaporizing coil heat, thereby vaporizing the quantity of water within the cavity 48.
A plurality of hair moisture sensors 84 is positioned around the outer surface 30 of the outer wall 28 of the curling member 22. Each hair moisture sensor 84 is configured for sensing a presence of a quantity of moisture in the dreadlock 36 when the dreadlock 36 is wrapped around the curling member 22. A plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 is positioned around the distal end 46 of the perimeter wall portion 44 of the moisture reservoir 38. Each reservoir moisture sensor 86 is configured for sensing a presence of a quantity of moisture at the distal end 46 of the perimeter wall portion 44 of the moisture reservoir 38. The plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 is operationally coupled to each of the motor 76, the pair of drying coils 80, and the vaporizing coil 82 and is configured for deactivating each of the motor 76, the pair of drying coils 80, and the vaporizing coil 82 when the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 senses the presence of the quantity of moisture.
A light signal emitter 88 is positioned partially within the interior space 20 and coupled to the handle 12. The light signal emitter 88 is operationally coupled to the plurality of hair moisture sensors 84. The light signal emitter 88 is configured for generating a wet light signal when the plurality of hair moisture sensors 84 senses the presence of the quantity of moisture and for generating a dry light signal when the plurality of hair moisture sensors 84 does not sense the presence of the quantity of moisture. The light signal emitter 88 is also operationally coupled to the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86, the light signal emitter 88 is configured for generating a full reservoir light signal when the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 senses the presence of the quantity of moisture.
A power cord 90 is coupled to and extends from the second end 16 of the handle 12. The power cord 90 is electrically coupled to each of the plurality of hair moisture sensors 84, the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86, and the light signal emitter 88 and is selectively electrically couplable to each of the motor 76, the pair of drying coils 80, and the vaporizing coil 82. The power cord 90 is configured for electrically coupling to an electrical power source.
A curling control button 92 is positioned on and coupled to the outer surface 18 of the handle 12 and is operationally coupled to the motor 76. The curling control button 92 is depressible and electrically couples the motor 76 to the power cord 90 when depressed, thereby activating the motor 76. A heating control button 94 is positioned on and coupled to the outer surface 18 of the handle 12 proximate the curling control button 92. The heating control button 94 is operationally coupled to each of the pair of drying coils 80 and the vaporizing coil 82. The heating control button 94 is depressible and electrically couples each of the pair of drying coils 80 and the vaporizing coil 82 to the power cord 90 when depressed, thereby activating each of the pair of drying coils 80 and the vaporizing coil 82.
In use, the dreadlock 36 is wetted and the end 58 of the dreadlock 36 is clipped into the hair clip 50. The power cord 90 is coupled to the electrical power source. The plurality of hair moisture sensors 84 detects the presence of the quantity of moisture in the dreadlock 36, triggering the light signal emitter 88 to generate the wet light signal indicating that the hair is ready to curl. The curling control button 92 is depressed to rotate the curling member 22, which pulls the dreadlock 36 to wrap the dreadlock 36 around the curling member 22. The heating control button 94 is depressed to activate the pair of drying coils 80 and the vaporizing coil 82. The hair dries, and the quantity of water travels down the curling member 22 to the cavity 48 defined by the moisture reservoir 38, where it is vaporized by the heat from the vaporizing coil 82.
If the quantity of water does not vaporize quickly enough before the moisture reservoir 38 fills, the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 senses the presence of the quantity of water at the distal end 46 of the perimeter wall 44 of the moisture reservoir 38. Then the plurality of reservoir moisture sensors 86 triggers the light signal emitter 88 to generate the full reservoir light signal and the motor 76, pair of drying coils 80, and vaporizing coil 82 deactivate. Otherwise, the light signal emitter 88 will generate a dry light signal when the plurality of hair moisture sensors 84 does not sense the presence of the quantity of moisture, indicating that the dreadlock 36 is done being curled.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
