Hair Extending Apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hair extending apparatus which includes a case; a head unit including a pair of revolving units, assembled revolvable on head of the case, whose both of heating means are exposed face to face; a deck assembled in the case; and a circuitry unit installed in the case, for controlling operations of the deck and supplying electric energy for the heating means, wherein each of the heating means has a planar facing side. The deck is combined with the case by a supporting plate on which a first and a second driving unit are mounted, wherein the first driving unit revolves the pair of revolving units and the second driving unit moves a pair of paper rolls mounted within a cartridge that is inserted the apparatus detachably, wherein adhesives have been coated onto one side of each paper roll. When an artificial hair string and real hair string are placed between the pair of revolving units, the heating means on both sides of the revolving units melt the coated adhesives to attach the artificial and the real hair string each other.

Description

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a hair extending apparatus.

2. BACKGROUND ART

In modern society, individuals become important and therefore people are more concerned with appearance. Particularly, people try to change his hair style variously, since he can easily express his individuals through hair style at a lower cost. An example of them is to express the hair style by connecting his hair (real hair string) to an artificial hair to extend his hair.

A ‘silicon gun’ is widely used as a hair extending apparatus as shown in FIG. 1.

In a case of using the apparatus of FIG. 1, a portion of the real hair is overlapped with a portion of the artificial hair, and protein balls are melted and pasted at the overlapped portion of them and then are rubbed by human's fingers to bond them. If the protein balls in the bonded portion are cured, the real hair and the artificial hair are connected with each other. In order to melt the protein balls, a head solder iron 1 is heated at approximately 170˜180 degree upon depressing a switch 2.

By the way, when extending the hair using the apparatus of FIG. 1, since it is necessary to rub the bonded portion by human's hand for the sake of bonding strength and smoothness of the bonded portion, it takes much time to extend many hair for making long hair, and therefore it results in higher costs to extend hair.

3. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which enables hair extension without using human's hand to extend the hair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adhesive tape cartridge detachably mounted on the apparatus in order to supply hair extension adhesive successively.

In order to achieve these objects of the present invention, there is provided a hair extending apparatus comprises: a case; a head unit having a pair of revolving units which is assembled rotatably on a leading edge of the case, the pair of revolving units is mounted with a pair of heating means of which facing sides are exposed, at least part of the facing sides of the heating means is planar; a deck unit assembled in the case; and a circuitry unit installed in the case for controlling operations of the deck unit and supplying electric energy for the heating means, wherein the deck unit is combined with the case by a support plate on which a first driving unit and a second driving unit are mounted, the first driving unit rotates the pair of revolving units and the second driving unit moves a pair of paper tape roll with adhesive coated on outside within a cartridge which is detachably mounted.

Further, an adhesive tape cartridge according to the present invention comprises: a pair of supply hubs onto which a pair of paper tape rolls with adhesive coated on outside is wound; a pair of wound hubs connected to one end of the pair of paper tape rolls; and an upper cover and a lower cover which are connected up and down to enable the supply hubs and the wound hubs to be rotated, wherein at least one of the upper cover and the lower cover has a support rod to enable the supply hub and the wound hub to be rotated by separating from each other at a higher distance than a height of the supply hub and the wound hub in order to have a gap therebetween, and the upper cover and the lower cover are connected with each other with the support rod interposed therebetween.

Preferably, the first driving unit and the second driving unit comprise a motor respectively in one embodiment of the present invention.

Preferably, polyester is used as the adhesive in one embodiment of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to connect artificial hair and real hair with each other without using human's hand, since the heating means on both sides of the revolving units melts the adhesive coated on the paper tape when an artificial hair and real hair are placed between the pair of revolving units.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a prior art hair extending apparatus;

FIGS. 2 a and 2b are a plane view and a side view of an hair extending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 a and 3b are a disassembly perspective view and a disassembly side view of an hair extending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of revolving unit of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 a is a disassembly perspective view showing a structure of deck unit of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 b is a plane view and cross-sectional side view of a support plate of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a transparent side view showing state in which an adhesive tape cartridge is mounted on the hair extending apparatus as a center of a deck unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plane view and a side view showing a rack gear bar of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a transparent plane view showing the hair extending apparatus as a center of a deck unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an expanded view of a capstan and a capstan gear of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a disassembly perspective view showing a capstan sticking member of the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a circuit unit which is mounted on the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a disassembly perspective view of a paper tape cartridge with adhesive coated on outside according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a structure of a iron pin held in the cartridge according to the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a plane view showing a state in which an adhesive tape cartridge is mounted on the hair extending apparatus according to the present invention.

5. MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 2 a and 2b are a plane view and a side view of a hair extending apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3a and 3b are a 3-D disassembly perspective view and a side view of the apparatus respectively. FIG. 2a is a 3-D plane view in which a top cover is not in a closed position and the adhesive tape cartridge is not mounted on the hair extending apparatus.

The apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention largely consists of a case 100, a head unit 200, and a deck unit 300.

The case 100 is configured of a wide front surface part which is exposed upward and a narrow knob part, where these parts are connected to make smoothly curved surface. The knob part is configured of a lower case 110 which is downwardly bended at a prescribed angle, a transparent top cover 120 for covering the wide front surface from above, and a knob cover 130 which is formed to conform to a knob part of the lower case 110 to be connected with each other. The knob cover 130 and the lower case 110 are screw-engaged to meet with each other through a screw receiving hole 111 which is protruded. The top cover 120 is connected with the lower case 110 by causing an elastic depressing holder 121 formed on left and right side of top cover to be hooked by a hooking jaw 112 formed inside the lower case 110. Upon connecting the top cover 120 with the lower case 110, it is preferable to have wide space enough to allow the deck unit 300 to be placed inside. The lower case 100 has finger receiving grooves 119 dented to prevent from sliding upon grasping the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2b.

The head unit 200 includes two revolving units 210, 220 of a prescribed width which are oppositely facing to each other and of which the facing surfaces are planar and rear surface is curved, upper lids 211, 221, heating-element cases 212, 222, and lower plates 213, 223. The heating-element cases 212, 222 are inserted into the open underside of houses 210a, 220a which are integrally formed with the revolving units 210, 220, so that the heating elements 212a, 222a are held within it. The heating-element cases 212, 222 and the houses 210a, 220a have oppositely facing surfaces exposed so that heats from the heating-element 212a, 222a may be delivered to the hair placed between two revolving units 210 and 220. The heating elements 212a, 222a is rectangular-shaped plate of thin thickness, and the heating-element cases 212, 222 are made of heat-resistant phenol resin. The revolving units 210, 220 are also made of heat-resistant PC (Poly Carbonate) for preventing from deforming due to heat. Of course, the lower case 110 and the knob cover 130 are made of PC.

And, dampers 212b, 222b are attached on a front surface of the heating element cases 212, 222, that is, a surface on which the heating elements 212a, 222a is attached. The dampers 212b, 222b prevent heat of the heating elements 212a, 222a from being directly delivered into the hair, where the heat passing the dampers 212b, 222b is approximately 150˜160 degrees.

The lower plates 213, 223 are clamped by a screw on a bottom surface of the revolving units 210, 220 in order to hold the heating-element cases 212, 222 after the heating element 212a, 222a and the heating-element cases 212, 222 attached with the dampers 212b, 222b are inserted into the houses 210a, 220a. The top lids 211, 221 are combined with the revolving units 210, 220 by means of magnetic forces. For the purpose of it, a magnet piece of a cylindrical shape is inserted into receiving holes 210b, 220b for the revolving units 210, 220 and thin iron pieces or iron components are inserted into corresponding portions of the top lids 211, 221.

The reason why the top lids 211, 221 is detachably attached to the revolving units 210, 220 via the magnetic forces is that it is easy to replace new cartridge after using up all tapes since the paper tape with adhesive coated on outside for hair extension is mounted within the revolving units 210, 220. Also, what the top cover 120 is not screw-engaged but hook-engaged with the lower case 110 is for the sake of convenience in replacement of the adhesive tape cartridge. Since the hook engagement of the depressing holder 121 is released if the depressing holder 121 is depressed inwardly, the top cover 120 can be easily separated from the lower case 110.

A driven gear 210c is attached to a rear bottom portion of the revolving units 210, 220, as shown in FIG. 4. The driven gear 210c is attached in a lower position stepped from the bottom surface of the revolving unit 210. The step is necessary because a height of the drive delivering plane which causes the driven gear 210c to receive rotation force from the deck unit 300 and a height of a plane on which a traveling path of the paper tape with adhesive coated on outside is formed are different. The driven gears 210c, 220c are rotatably held by causing center-penetrating connection rod to be inserted into receiving holes 113a, 113b which are integrally formed with the lower case 110.

The deck unit 300 includes a motor, various gears which are connected with one another, and caps, as well as a support plate 310 and a rack gear bar 330. FIG. 5a is a disassembly perspective diagram showing components of the deck unit 300.

Both sides of the support plate 310 is curve-shaped to mate with inside of the case 100, as shown in FIG. 5b, and is screw-engaged with the lower case 110 through screw holes 311 formed in its surrounding and screw receiving holes 114 integrally formed with the lower case 110. And, two pairs of screw receiving holes 312a, 312b are formed under the support plate 310, and motors 31, 32 are screw-engaged via each pair of the receiving holes 312a, 312b as shown in FIG. 6. A first motor 31 is connected via corresponding opening 315 predefined on the support plate 310 under the support plate 310 with a portion being protruded above the support plate 310.

The driving gear 31a connected to a axis of the first motor 31 is screw-engaged with a trailing-edge linear gear 331 formed in the rear of the rack gear bar 330 of FIG. 7 upon combining with the lower case 110 of the support plate 310. The secondary motor 32 has a reduction gear box 32a connected to its driving axis so that it delivers the reduced driving forces to the driving gear 341 which is rotatably connected under the support plate 310.

FIG. 8 shows an arrangement of components connected to the support plate 310, where components mounted above the support plate 310 are shown on the right side and components mounted under the support plate 310 are shown on the left side as a basis of a vertical center line 1-1′.

The support plate 310 is rotatably connected to the driving gear 341, as well as a pair of capstan gears 343a, 343b and a pair of delivering gears 344a, 344b, and reverse rotation gear 342 for reversing rotation direction and a pair of shaft gears 345a, 345b which are disposed in bilateral symmetry. A diameter and gear ratio of the pair of capstan gears 343a, 343b are suitably determined as necessary to obtain rotation needed from axis rotation. The reverse rotation gear 342 is only to reverse rotation direction and has 1:1 gear ratio with the driving gear 341. The driving gear 341 is directly gear-engaged with one capstan gear 343a, and gear-engaged with the other capstan gear 343b through the reverse rotation gear 342. Therefore, the pair of capstan gears 343a, 343b (shaft gears 345a, 345b) may rotate in a opposite direction to each other, for example one in clock-wise direction and the other in counter clock-wise direction, due to rotation of the driving gear 341. According to embodiments of the present invention, a right shaft gear 345a may rotate in clock-wise direction and a left shaft gear 345b may rotate in counter clock-wise in FIG. 8.

The shaft gear 345a and 345b has gear tooth formed on only upper edge portion and a concentric circular hole of larger diameter than that of the pass-through hole of the shaft gear formed on a lower edge portion, as shown in FIG. 5a and FIG. 6. The shaft 346 is inserted into the circular hole, more specifically the rubber ring 346a is first inserted into the circular hole and subsequently into the pass-through hole 317 formed on the support plate 310 in order to be hook-engaged internally with the hub driving cap 350. Because hooking protrusions are formed in both tip ends of the shaft 346 and a hooking jaw is formed within the hub driving cap 350, a hooking loop gets engaged with the hooking groove while being straightened after both hook protrusions of the shaft 346 being passed by being pressed on the hooking jaw. A portion of outer circumference and inner circumference of the shaft 346 and the hub driving cap 350 which face to each other is not circumferential but planar by D-cutting so that the hub driving cap 350 may also rotate due to the rotation of the shaft 346. Because a diameter of a lower portion of the hub driving cap 350 is wider than a diameter of the pass-through hole 317, the shaft gears 345a, 345b are held on the support plate 310 when the driving cap 350 are combined with the shaft 346.

After combination as mentioned above, if rotational force is delivered to the shaft gears 345a, 345b, it is also delivered to the shaft 346 due to frictional force of the rubber ring 346a. The gear ratio of the capstan gears 343a, 343b and the shaft gears 345a, 345b is set so that the latter is larger than the former in terms of an amount of the paper tap traveling when the capstan gear 343a, 343b and the shaft gear 345a, 345b rotate. As such, since the hub of the cartridge connected with the shaft gear 345a or 345b tends to wind a larger amount of paper tape than an amount of paper tape traveling due to rotation of the capstan gear 343a or 343b, a difference between them causes tension in the paper tape with adhesive coated. Since sliding may occur between the shaft gear 345a or 345b and the shaft 346 if the tension goes over the frictional forces caused by the rubber ring 346a, it is preferable to maintain suitable tension in the paper tape wound.

The capstan gears 343a, 343b are connected into a pass-through hole 313 formed on the support plate 310 via a connection pin 336 having a circular head together with the capstan 335 of FIG. 9. The capstan 335 consists of a cylinder 335a which is divided into 3 sections and two circular iron pieces 335b of thin thickness which are disposed between each section. The iron piece 335b is formed with saw tooth on an outer circumference, and the cylinder 335a and the circular iron piece 335b have center holes with same inner diameter. The connection pin 336 passes through the center holes, the support plate 310, and the capstan gear 343a or 343b in turn, and then a stop ring 337 such as an E-ring is inserted into an annular groove 336a formed in a peak head after passing all of them. A portion of circumference of the connection pin 336 is subject to D-cutting, and an inner circumference of the capstan gears 343a, 343b, the cylinder 335a, and the iron piece 335b are subject to D-cutting. Therefore, as the capstan gear 343a, 343b rotate, the capstan 335 also rotates. As the capstan 335 rotates, the saw tooth formed in the iron piece 335b move the paper tape with adhesive coated on one side while being clasped, thereby preventing from sliding due to the adhesive coated.

Further, in the support plate 310, a release shaft 347 without gear is mounted on the support plate 310 in such a way to connect with a rotation cap 351 after being inserted into another pair of pass-through holes 314, as shown in FIG. 6. The rotation cap 351 has same structure of the driving cap 350 and is connected with the release shaft 347 in the same manner to connect the shaft 356 with the driving cap 350. The release shaft 347 has a head with larger diameter than the pass-through holes 314 integrally formed on its bottom edge to be hooked by the pass-through hole 314 upon being inserted.

Meanwhile, the driving cap 350 and the rotation cap 351 have thin ribs 350a, 351a protruded from circumference disposed evenly in at least three directions, as shown in FIG. 6. They are responsible for being hooked by an internal protrusion of two pairs of hubs of the tape cartridge with adhesive coated at the time of rotation, thereby driving the hub or rotating the hub while being engaged with it.

The support plate 310 is attached with the capstan sticking member 360 which is closely contacted with the capstan 335 to be interposed by the paper tape in order to deliver the driving forces of the capstan gear 343a, 343b to the paper tape. FIG. 10 shows a structure of the capstan sticking member 360. The capstan sticking member 360 is configured of a housing 361, a roller 362, a stopper 361 of ‘’ shape, and two rotational spring 364.

The roller 362 is configured of three pairs of discs 362a with 2 circular holes around circumference and up-and-down support rod 362b. An axis of the discs 362a is inserted into an up-and-down hole which is formed in one side edge of the up-and-down support rod 362b. The capstan sticking member 360 except of the rotation spring 364 are all made of plastic material so that the up-and-down support 326b is rotatably held as the axis of three pairs of discs 362a is inserted into the up-and-down hole. An up-and-down pass-through hole formed in the other side edge of the up-and-down support rod 362b is aligned with an up-and-down pass-through hole 361a formed in a tailing end of the housing 361 and connected by a pin 318a (shown in FIG. 5a) that passes the pass-through hole. Upon inserting the pin 318a, the pin 318a is held not to be extracted by means of riveting after inserting the pin 318a into a pass-through hole 318 formed on the support plate 310 while causing a head 364a of the rotation spring 364 with a hooking arm to be inserted. An E-ring is inserted between the pin head of the pin 318a and the housing 361 to prevent the housing 361 from being extracted over the pin. The pin 318a serves as a rotation axis of the housing 361 and a roller 362 as a result of the connection. The capstan sticking member 360 and the stop ring may be connected in turn after holding the pin 318a on the support plate 310 by means of riveting.

The up-and-down support rod 362b is configured of a hooking rod 362c connecting up and down, as shown in FIG. 10. The rotation spring 364 is placed between the hooking rod 362c and an inner wall of the housing 361 so that the roller 362 is subject to forces in a direction away from the housing 361 on the basis of the rotation axis, that is the pin 318a, due to elastic forces by which both arms 364a of the rotation spring is pushed. The up-and-down support rod 362b has a small protrusion formed on its bottom surface so that the small protrusion is inserted into a bottom surface of the housing 361 and hooked by a holding groove 361b formed on surface beneath the housing 361 when pressing the roller 362 toward the inside of the housing 361. The holding groove 361b is formed with a groove of a prescribed size along rotation path of the small protrusion on the basis of the rotation axis (pin 318a) so that the small protrusion is entered up to the inside of the holding groove 361b when pushing the roller 362 inward the housing 361, and exited up to the outside of the holding groove 361b due to elastic forces of the rotation spring 364 when the push is released. If the capstan sticking member 360 is mounted, the paper tape with adhesive coated on outside may be stuck to the capstan 335 by means of elastic force of the rotation spring 364.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the housing 361 has a head end wider than a trail end into which the pin 318a is inserted so that up-and-down surface is trapezoid-shaped. Both sides of the head end of the up-and-down surface are protruded more than a boundary of the head end to form both guide protrusions 361c. Such the guide protrusions 361c are responsible for guiding the paper tape that travels while being compressed between the roller 362 and the capstan 335. The paper tape is not striped upward and downward by virtue of the guide protrusion 361c.

A pair of parallel axis rod 361d with pass-through hole is integrally formed with the head edge of the housing 361. An axis 363b which is vertically protruded in a lower portion of the stopper 363 is inserted into the pass-through hole of the axis rod 361d. Another rotation spring 364 is inserted into the axis 363b before insertion of the axis 363b so that both arms of the rotation spring 364 can apply pushing forces to the stopper 363 after the stopper 363 is combined. If the capstan sticking member 360 is pin-connected with the support plate 310, a hooking jaw 363a protruded longitudinally under the stopper 363 is caused to be placed above a rectangular groove 319 (FIG. 5b) formed on the support plate 310 when rotating the capstan sticking member 360 around the connection pin 318a while pressing a bending portion of the stopper 363 upwardly by fingers, and the hooking jaw 363a is inserted into the rectangular groove 319 by the rotation spring and the capstan sticking member 360 is held in place when the press is released. The elastic forces caused by the rotation spring 364 provided between the roller 362 and the housing 361 allows the roller 362 to stick to the capstan 335.

The support plate 310 has a pair of semicircle protrusion 316 formed on its leading edge as shown in FIG. 5b, and the connection rod mentioned above in the description of head unit 200 is inserted into the a pass-through hole 316a located in the center, and a upper edge of the connection rod is stepped to have a lower diameter than that of body so that only portion of the upper edge is inserted into the pass-through hole 316a of the semicircle protrusion 316. If the support plate 310 is connected with the lower case 110 by means of screw clamping, then the connection rod serves as a fixed rotation axis, and therefore a driven gear 210c of the revolving units 210, 220 may rotate around the connection rod and subsequently the pair of revolving unit 210, 220 formed integrally with the driven gear can also rotate around the connection rod.

As shown in FIG. 7, the rack gear bar 330 is constructed of two parallel blocks of which an upper portion is bended 2 times, linear gears 332a, 332b are formed in left and right side of the leading edge, and the linear gears 332a, 332b are gear-engaged with the driven gear 210c of the revolving units 210, 220. Therefore, the driven gear 210c rotates left or right by forward-and-rearward movement along longitudinal direction of the rack gear bar 330 thereby causing the revolving units 210, 220 to be open or closed by any degree that is predefined in design.

Directional plates 333a, 333b are vertically formed on a bottom of each of the parallel blocks of the rack gear bar 330. They are inserted into two guide pair-wall 116a, 116b formed on a bottom of the lower case 110 in order to prevent the rack gear bar 330 from being deviated at the time of forward-and-rearward movement. The rack gear bar 330 is supported and slid on two guide pair-wall 116a, 116b (shown in FIG. 3a). When the rack gear bar 330 is mounted and a distinct press bar is placed over it, the rack gear bar 330 is screw-clamped to two screw-clamping holes 117 through screw-groove in both edges of the press bar, thereby preventing the rack gear bar 330 from being deviated upwardly.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the lower case 110, a PCB 500 mounted with a driving circuit is provided below the support plate 310. The PCB 500 is mounted with the driving circuit of FIG. 11, including microcomputer 501 having program embedded for controlling the motor 31, 32, a first and a second drive unit 502, 503 for applying the driving power necessary for the motors 31, 32, a power transistor unit 504 for supplying current to the heating elements 212a, 222a, a power switch 510 mounted above the knob cover 130, an operational switch with hooking jaw mounted on a bottom surface of the lower case 110, a mode switch 506 for specifying automatic/manual operational mode and a traveling on/off switch 508 which each are mounted on both side of the power switch 510 above the knob cover 130, and a limiter switch 507.

To the driving circuit is applied DC voltage of 12V via connection jack provided in the trail portion of the lower case 110 and the knob case 130 by external AC-DC converter. The limiter switch 507 is inserted into a switch groove 118 formed in a leading edge of the lower case 110. The limiter switch 507 is a type of the tap switch and its tap is provided towards inside of the lower case 110. The tap of the limiter switch 507 is pressed by a leading edge of the rack gear bar 334 when the rack gear bar 330 moves forward.

Hereinafter, it will be described on the adhesive tape cartridge mounted detachably on the hair extending apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a disassembly perspective view according to the present invention showing the state in which a paper tape with adhesive coated on one side is not wound. The cartridge 400 largely consists of a flat lower cover 410, a pair of wound hub 420, a pair of supply hub 421 and a fat upper cover 430. Initially, a pair of paper tape roll with adhesive coated on outside is wound onto the pair of supply hub 421 respectively, and the paper tape is connected to the pair of hub 420 to be wound without adhesive. According to one embodiment of the present invention, polyester is used as the adhesive. The adhesive is coated only on outside of the paper tape. This is to deliver heat carried by the heating elements 212a, 222a to the adhesive via the paper tape, thereby causing the adhesive to be melted evenly across overall region contacting with the dampers 212b, 222b.

The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 are bilateral-symmetric and a center of both sides is dented inward so that the capstan 335 on the support plate 310 is allowed to be placed in the dented portion when the cartridge 400 is placed on the support plate 310. The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 are screw-engaged after disposing the hubs 420, 421 inside. For purpose of screw-engagement, the lower cover 410 has a column 411 with its center protruded, and the upper cover 430 has a circular dented portion 431 with a screw-hole formed at its center. The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 are combined by inserting a screw into the screw-hole of the dented portion 431 and the screw-hole formed in an upper edge of the column 411.

The column 411 has two protrusions be formed in bilateral symmetrical positions, and the protrusions are inserted into two holes 431a formed to conform to the dented portion 431 when combining the lower cover 410 with the upper cover 430. The protrusions combined as such forms a pair of holding rods, where the protrusions are inserted into both internal edges of a shoulder 40a of an iron pin 40 which is bended as shown in FIG. 13 so that the iron pin 40 is held between the column 411 and the dented portion 431. At this time, both arms 40b of the iron pin 40 apply lateral force in an outward direction (Da in FIG. 13) to push the paper tape wound onto the supply hub 421 toward its center. This is for making an unwound direction forward (that is, direction towards inside of the revolving units 210, 220) and stripping the paper tape only by tension force caused by certain resistance, when the paper tape wound onto the supply hub 421 is stripped. A waist 40c of the iron pin 40 is bended more inside than both arms 40b in order to make lateral force more intensely.

The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 has stop jaws 412, 432 integrally formed on forward left and right edge, which are vertically formed from the cover surface to face to each other. The stop jaws 412, 432 form boundary wall not to be pushed outside of the cartridge 400 when the paper tape is wound onto the wound hub 420 via inside of the revolving unit 210 by rotational force of the capstan 335. The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 have vertical connection protrusions 413, 433 formed integrally therewith, which face to each other on left and right side of front, rear and center portion. One pair of connection protrusions 413, 433 is combined in such a way to connect at top edges with each other, which serves as a holding rod. Since the protrusions inserted into grooves of corresponding protrusions for connecting the connection protrusions 413, 433 are stepped not to be inserted beyond it, a height of the pair of corresponding protrusions is a little higher than that of the hub 420, 421. This is for the purpose of supporting the lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430, thereby to allowing the hubs 420, 421 to rotate within the cover 410, 430 without friction.

The lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430 have four circular openings 415, 435 respectively into which one pair of wound hub 420 and one pair of supply hub 421 are inserted. A diameter of the circular openings 415, 435 is a little larger than that of circular steps 420a, 421a formed on upper and lower surfaces of the hubs 420, 421. Subsequently, the hubs 420, 421 are allowed to be placed into the circular openings 415, 435 correctly and the circular openings 415, 435 function as a rotation axis for the hubs 420, 421. Further, a height of the circular steps 420a, 421a is lower than or equal to that of the lower cover 410 and the upper cover 430. This is for the purpose of excluding a possibility to occur rotation resistance which results from contacting with other position since the circular steps 420a, 421a of the hubs 420, 421 are protruded outside of the cover.

The upper cover 430 has a pair of pressing wall 436 of a prescribed height which has a T-shape in a sectional surface on bilateral side of an opposite surface to the surface connected with the lower cover 410. The pressing wall 436 enables the cartridge 400 in place not to move upward and downward upon being pressed by the upper cover 120 as the upper cover 120 is combined with the lower cover 110 after the cartridge 400 is placed on the support plate 310 and also enables the cartridge to be pulled from the apparatus by gripping the pressing wall 436 by fingers.

Hereinafter, the hair extending apparatus having aforementioned structure will be described.

Firstly, it is preferable to open the top cover 120 and both top lids 211, 221 of the revolving units 310, 220 and then assemble the adhesive tape cartridge 400. At this time, the driving cap 350 and the revolving cap 351 are inserted into center of each hubs 420, 421 of the cartridge. And any amount of the adhesive tape is pulled out so that it is placed on a traveling path within the pair of revolving units 210, 220. The capstan sticking member 360 is rotated in both side of the apparatus by hook-releasing operation of the stopper 363 so that it may accommodate space for use in placing the tape within the cartridge 400, and then the capstan sticking member 360 is reversely rotated so that the roller 362 is stuck to the capstan 335 interposed by the adhesive paper tape while being hooked by the stopper 363. It is preferable to close both top lids 211, 221 of the revolving units 210, 220 if it finishes disposing the adhesive tape on the path of the tape. FIG. 14 is a plane view of a state in which such procedures are completed. If it completes placing the cartridge 400 as shown in FIG. 14, the top cover 120 is allowed to be place over the lower case 110.

Upon pressing the power switch 510, the power is applied to the driving circuit of FIG. 11, and therefore is applied to the heating element 212a, 222a through the power transistor 504 to form heat so that the microcomputer 501 may carry initial operations. For purpose of the initial operations, the microcomputer 501 can drive a first motor 31 in a forward-moving direction of the rack gear bar 330 through the first drive unit 502. As the rack gear bar 330 moves forward, a head of the revolving units 210, 220 is broadened by rotating the driven gear 210c formed in the pair of revolving units 210, 220. Further, if the limiter switch 507 is pressed as the rack gear bar 330 moves forward, its electrical signal is changed. Since the microcomputer 501 stop driving of the first motor 31 by recognizing the change, the revolving units 210, 220 are in an initial state (OO′ of FIG. 14) broadened by a prescribed degree.

A user may select manual mode or automatic mode by operating the mode switch 506 if necessary. First, it will be described on a case in which the traveling ON/OFF switch 508 in ON along with the automatic mode.

In automatic mode, the user may press the operational switch 505 one time while placing artificial hair and real hair between the revolving units 210, 220. Then, the microcomputer 501 rotates the first motor 31 in a reverse direction. Subsequently, as the rack gear bar 330 moves backward, the revolving units 210, 220 are come into contact each other. This state remains for 2˜3 seconds. During the operation, the heat from the heating elements 212a, 222a is delivered to a pair of paper tape through the dampers 212b, 222b so that adhesive coated on the tape is melted in both of artificial hair and real hair to extend. If it elapses the time, the microcomputer 501 causes the revolving units 210, 220 to be broadened by moving forward the rack gear bar 330 until the state of the limiter switch 507 changes by driving the first motor 31. At this time, the user can place other artificial hair and real hair between them after pulling out the artificial hair and real hair extended by the adhesive.

If the revolving units 210, 220 are broadened, the microcomputer 501 rotates the second motor 32 via the second drive unit 503. If the second motor 32 rotates, its rotation force is reduced by the reduction gear box 32a to deliver it to a pair of capstan gear 343a, 343b and a pair of shaft gear 345a, 345b through the driving gear 341 respectively. The corresponding gears (capstan gear and shaft gear) in left and right side rotate in an opposite direction to each other by means of the reverse rotation gear 342. The capstan 335 and each of the wound hubs 420 within the cartridge 400 may rotate due to this rotation, which results that any amount of the adhesive tape roll is pulled out from the supply hub 421 and is wound onto the wound hub 420. At this time, a wound length is nearly same as a width of the dampers 212b, 222b. This is for purpose of moving just only section of the paper tape with adhesive melted due to contact of the damper 212b, 222b and supplying the paper tape with new adhesive for next use. If such wining operation has been completed, the hair extension operation in the automatic mode of one time is completed, and if the user presses the operational switch 505 once more, above-mentioned operation repeats.

If the mode switch 506 is a manual mode, and the traveling ON/OFF switch 508 is ON, the microcomputer 501 causes the both revolving units 210, 220 to be engaged by moving backward the rack gear bar 330 upon pressing the operational switch 505, and then remains this state until the pressing of the operational switch 505 is released. If the pressing of the operational switch 505 is released, the microcomputer 501 moves forward the rack gear bar 330 until the limiter switch 507 is ON and winds the paper tape by a predetermined amount as described above. Therefore, the heat is applied to the adhesive tape while the user presses the operational switch 505 in a case of the manual mode.

If the traveling ON/OFF switch 508 is OFF in both modes which are earlier mentioned, the microcomputer 501 does not drive the second motor 32 and therefore does not wind any predetermined amount of the paper tape even though the heat is applied to the paper tape by forward-and-backward moving operation of the rack gear bar 330. That is, a section of the paper tape in which the adhesive is melted off is not moved.

This operation is used when separating the artificial hair and the real hair which are connected by the adhesive hardened. That is, by pressing the operational switch 505 once more, it is possible to melt the adhesive and therefore separate the artificial hair from the real hair by applying heat to a connection part of the artificial hair and the real hair extended via the section of the paper tape with adhesive melted.

The hair extending apparatus mentioned above as limited embodiments according to the present invention enables unskilled man to extend the artificial hair and the real hair easily and to present various hair style, and enables skilled man to extend larger amount of artificial hair and real hair within shorter time than prior art apparatus. Further, it is possible to separate the extended hair easily using the apparatus.

Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirits of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A hair extending apparatus comprising: a case;a head unit having a pair of revolving units which is assembled rotatably on a leading edge of the case, the pair of revolving units is mounted with a pair of heating means of which facing sides are exposed, at least part of the facing sides of the heating means is planar;a deck unit assembled in the case; anda circuitry unit installed in the case for controlling operations of the deck unit and supplying electric energy for the heating means, wherein the deck unit is combined with the case by a support plate on which a first driving unit and a second driving unit are mounted, the first driving unit rotates the pair of revolving units and the second driving unit moves a pair of paper tape roll with adhesive coated on outside within a cartridge which is detachably mounted.

2. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first driving unit comprises a motor, a driving gear connected to an axis of the motor, a linear gear engaged with the driving gear, and a rack gear bar for converting a rotation of the driving gear into a vertical motion, and the linear gear is formed on both sides of opposite end to one end where the rack gear bar is connected to the driving gear, the linear gear on the both sides is engaged with each of driven gears formed in a rotation axis of the revolving units.

3. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second driving unit comprises a motor with a reduction gear box, a driving gear connected to a driving axis of the reduction gear box, a pair of capstan gears connected to the driving gear in which one is directly connected and the other is gear-connected via a reverse rotation gear, a pair of shaft gears gear-connected to the pair of capstan gear, a pair of capstans connected to the pair of capstan gear to be interposed by the support plate, a pair of shafts connected to the pair of shaft gear to be interposed by the support plate, a pair of release shafts rotatably connected to the support plate, and two pairs of caps connected to the pair of shaft and the pair of release shaft, and the pair of shaft and the pair of release shaft are disposed to conform to positions of two pairs of hubs that are winding a pair of paper tape roll within the cartridge and each of the caps has ribs formed on its outer circumference in at least 2 directions to be hooked by the internal hooking protrusion of the hubs.

4. The hair extending apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shaft gear is combined with the shaft by friction force of rubber materials, the shaft gear slides against the shaft as the resistance applied to the shaft is larger.

5. The hair extending apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second driving unit further comprises a capstan sticking member which is connected rotatably around one end in the support plate, including rotatable roller which is stuck to the capstan.

6. The hair extending apparatus of claim 5, wherein the capstan sticking member comprises a housing which has one end fixed by an axis on the support plate and is allowed to rotate around the fixed axis and of which one surface is exposed; the roller which is engaged with the axis to be placed within the housing; and a stopper which is attached on opposite surface to a surface with the axis of the housing and has a hooking jaw inserted into a groove formed on the support plate in order to prevent the capstan sticking member from pushing outward from a state in which it is stuck to the capstan.

7. The hair extending apparatus of claim 6, wherein the capstan sticking member comprises a first rotation spring with elastic force pushing the roller from the housing on the basis of the fixed axis and a second rotation spring with elastic force pushing a upper portion of the stopper from the housing, the stopper is held by an axis at a lower portion.

8. The hair extending apparatus of claim 6, further comprising guide protrusions which are protruded toward the capstan respectively on upper and lower surface of an opposite side to the fixed axis of the housing in a same planar surface as the upper and lower surface, for preventing the paper tape from being deviated upward and downward which is disposed between the roller and the capstan upon placing the cartridge.

9. The hair extending apparatus of claim 3, wherein the capstan comprises a cylinder divided into 3 sections, two thin iron pieces of circular shape which are disposed between each of 3 sections, and a connection pin connected to the capstan gear through internal center holes of the cylinder and each of the iron pieces, the iron pieces are formed with saw tooth on its circumference.

10. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises a heating element for generating heat by the electric energy supplied, a damper for delivering heat of lower temperature than that of the heating element to the paper tape by preventing the heating element from directly contacting with the paper tape, and a heating-element case in which the heating element and the damper are inserted and assembled.

11. The hair extending apparatus of claim 10, wherein the heating-element case is made of a phenol resin.

12. The hair extending apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pair of revolving units is formed with a house of which a top is closed and facing surfaces are exposed and in which the heating-element case is inserted and assembled from below.

13. The hair extending apparatus of claim 10, wherein a temperature of the heat delivered to the paper tape through the damper is 150˜160 degree.

14. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head unit comprises a flat top lid having same features as planar features of an upper portion of the revolving units for covering the revolving units from above and a lower plate which is screw-engaged in a bottom surface of the revolving units for holding the heating means in the revolving units.

15. The hair extending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the top lid has substance attracted to magnetic force embedded, each of the revolving units have the magnetic substance inserted into a vertical cylindrical receiving-hole of the revolving units so that the top lid and the revolving units may be detachably connected with each other.

16. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case comprises a wide front surface portion exposed upward and a narrow knob portion, both of the portions are continued smoothly and comprise a lower case having the knob portion bended downward by a prescribed degree, a knob lid connected with a portion corresponding to the knob portion, and a top cover detachably connected with the lower case for closing or opening the wide front surface portion from above.

17. The hair extending apparatus of claim 16, wherein an operational switch is mounted on a bottom of the lower case for controlling operations of the deck unit, and a power switch for applying power to the circuit unit, a mode switch for designating operational mode of the circuit unit, and a traveling ON/OFF switch for setting whether the paper tape travels or not are mounted on a top of the knob lid.

18. The hair extending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit unit comprises: a switch unit comprising a power switch for applying power, a mode switch for designating operational mode, a traveling ON/OFF switch for setting whether the paper tape travels or not, a limiter switch in which a point of contact changes when the pair of revolving units revolves by a predetermined degree, and an operational switch; a power transistor unit for supplying current to the heating means from power applied; a drive unit for driving each of the motors within the first driving unit and the second driving unit; a controller for selectively controlling operations of each motors within the first driving unit and the second driving unit via the drive unit based on input signals from each switches of the switch units.

19. The hair extending apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller causes the pair of revolving units to face to each other by driving the first driving unit via the drive unit if signals are inputted via the operational switch, the revolving units to be broadened until the point of contact of the limiter switch is changed by driving the first driving unit reversely after a prescribed time, and the pair of paper tapes to be moved by a prescribed distance by driving the second driving unit via the drive unit.

20. The hair extending apparatus of claim 19, wherein the prescribed time is 2-3 seconds.

21. The hair extending apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller causes the revolving units to be broadened until the point of contact of the limiter switch is changed by driving the first driving unit, and then causes the pair of paper tapes not to be moved by a prescribed distance, if the traveling ON/OFF switch is OFF.

22. An adhesive tape cartridge comprising: a pair of supply hubs onto which a pair of paper tape rolls with adhesive coated on outside is wound;a pair of wound hubs connected to one end of the pair of paper tape rolls; andan upper cover and a lower cover which are connected up and down to enable the supply hubs and the wound hubs to be rotated,wherein at least one of the upper cover and the lower cover has a support rod to enable the supply hub and the wound hub to be rotated by separating from each other at a higher distance than a height of the supply hub and the wound hub in order to have a gap therebetween, and the upper cover and the lower cover are connected with each other with the support rod interposed therebetween.

23. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein both side surface of the upper cover and the lower cover are dented more inward than the traveling path of the paper tape, so that an external delivering means for moving the paper tape is vertically inserted into the dented portion to make contact with the paper tape closely.

24. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein the upper cover and the lower cover have holding rods be protruded in a direction facing to each other on center portions thereof, the holding rod has its one end fixed by an iron pin, the iron pin has both unfixed ends that applies pushing force to push the pair of paper tape wound onto the supply hub toward its center.

25. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein at least one of the upper cover and the lower cover has a pair of stop jaws vertically protruded in a direction facing to each other on both side edges, the pair of stop jaws forms a boundary wall for preventing the paper tape from being pushed outside.

26. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein the upper cover has at least one vertical wall protruded vertically to a surface thereof.

27. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is coated on one outside surface of the paper tape roll.

28. The adhesive tape cartridge of claim 22, wherein a raw material of the adhesive is a polyester.