HAIR IRON

Abstract

A hair iron includes a first arm, a second arm, a first inner heating plate, a second inner heating plate, protrusions, and a first outer heating plate. The second arm is rotatably connected to the first arm. The first inner heating plate is located in a region of the first arm that faces the second arm. The second inner heating plate is located in a region of the second arm that faces the first inner heating plate. The protrusions are poor thermal conductors and located in a region of the first arm that does not face the second arm. The first outer heating plate is located between the protrusions. The first outer heating plate and at least one of the first inner heating plate and the second inner heating plate are good thermal conductors and generate heat based on heat from a heat source.

Description

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a hair iron.

BACKGROUND

Patent Document 1 discloses a hair iron having a pair of opening and closing parts connected by a hinge. The opening and closing parts include holding portions and heating plates arranged on the inner side of the holding portions. The heating plates have opposing surfaces to hold hair and can be heated by heaters provided inside the opening and closing parts. Hair can be placed between the heated opposing surfaces to be styled curly or straight. Patent Document 1 describes that the opposing surfaces of the heating plates may be flat, which is suitable for straightening hair, or curved, which is suitable for curling hair.

• • Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-019107

With the hair iron disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to curl hair when the opposing surfaces of the heating plates are flat. On the other hand, it is difficult to straighten hair when the opposing surfaces of the heating plates are curved.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a hair iron capable of both curling and straightening hair.

According to an embodiment, to achieve the object mentioned above, a hair iron includes: a first arm; a second arm that is rotatably connected to the first arm and can be placed in a closed position where the tip-side portion thereof is close to or in contact with the first arm and an open position where the tip-side portion is separated from the first arm; a first holding member that is supported by the first arm and is located in a region of the first arm that faces the second arm in the closed position; a second holding member that is supported by the second arm and is located in a region of the second arm that faces the first holding member on the first arm in the closed position; a plurality of protrusions being poor thermal conductors, which are supported by the first arm and protrude outward in a region of the first arm that does not face the second arm in the closed position; and a surface member located between the protrusions on the first arm. The surface member and at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member are good thermal conductors and are capable of generating heat based on heat from a heat source.

In some embodiments, the hair iron may further include a film heater that generates heat when supplied with power, and at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member may be thermally connected to the film heater to be capable of generating heat.

In some embodiments, the first holding member may be a good thermal conductor, and the film heater may be incorporated in the first arm. In this case, the first holding member and the surface member may both be thermally connected to the same film heater to be capable of generating heat.

In some embodiments, the hair iron may further include a biasing member that is located between the first holding member and the surface member in the first arm and is capable of biasing the first holding member. In this case, the first holding member may be supported by the first arm so as to be slidable along a direction opposite to the second holding member in the closed position and slide toward the inside of the first arm against the biasing force of the first biasing member when subjected to a load from the second holding member side.

In some embodiments, at least one of the holding members may be made of copper alloy.

In some embodiments, the surface member may have a convex portion that protrudes to one side in a predetermined direction and is capable of generating heat.

In some embodiments, the protrusions may include large protrusions whose tips are on the one side from that of the convex portion in the predetermined direction.

In other embodiments, the protrusions may include brush-like protrusions each formed of a bundle of bristles.

According to the embodiments, it is possible to style hair both curly and straight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair iron in a closed position according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hair iron in an open position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the inside of a second arm;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of a film heater: FIG. 7A illustrates the front side that generates heat, and FIG. 7B illustrates the rear side;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a biasing member;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hair iron in a closed position according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIGS. 14A and 14B are side views of a hair iron according to a third embodiment: FIG. 14A illustrates the hair iron without a cap, and FIG. 14B illustrates the hair iron with a cap;

FIG. 15 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A in an open position;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the tip side of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A as viewed from the outside;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the tip side of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A as viewed from the inside;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a plurality of protrusions according to a modification; and

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a state in which rod-shaped protrusions and a first outer heating plate are removed from a first arm illustrated in FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, arrow X indicates the tip side of arms, arrow Y indicates the upper side, and CL indicates the rotation axis (central axis) of the arms. In the following, it is assumed that when a hair iron is closed (in the closed position), the tip-side portions thereof face each other in the vertical direction.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair iron in a closed position according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a side view of the hair iron in an open position. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the inside of a second arm. FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of a film heater: FIG. 7A illustrates the front side that generates heat, and FIG. 7B illustrates the rear side. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a biasing member. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 2. Note that the illustration of the biasing member is omitted in FIG. 6, and the cross-section of the second arm is omitted in FIG. 9.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a hair iron 10 of the first embodiment may be cordless and equipped with a rechargeable battery 28, for example. The hair iron 10 includes a rod-shaped first arm 11 and a rod-shaped second arm 12. The second arm 12 is rotatably connected to the first arm 11 so that it can be placed in a closed position where its tip-side portion is close to or in contact with the first arm 11 (see FIGS. 1 to 3) and an open position where its tip-side portion is separated from the first arm 11 (see FIG. 4). In the following, of the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, the one located on the upper side in the closed position will be referred to as the first arm 11, and the one located on the lower side will be referred to as the second arm 12.

In this embodiment, the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are connected at their base ends so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis CL extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the arms 11 and 12 extend (the direction along arrow X). The first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are each formed to have a substantially semicircular cross-section and are connected together to have a circular cross-section as a whole in the closed position. When the hair iron 10 is in use (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “during use”), a portion on the base side from a predetermined position in the middle of each of the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 in the extending direction serves as a gripper to be gripped by the user. On the other hand, a portion on the tip side from the predetermined position of each of the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 serves as a hair-setting part for holding and winding hair.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, the hair iron 10 includes, on the tip side of the first arm 11, a first inner heating plate (first holding member) 13, a first outer heating plate (surface member) 14, a plurality of first protrusions 15, a first film heater 16, and a first biasing member 17. The hair iron 10 also includes, on the tip side of the second arm 12, a second inner heating plate (second holding member) 18, a second outer heating plate (surface member) 19, a plurality of second protrusions 20, a second film heater 21, and a second biasing member 22.

In this embodiment, the components on the first arm 11 side (the first inner heating plate 13, the first outer heating plate 14, the first protrusions 15, the first film heater 16, and the first biasing member 17) and the components on the second arm 12 side (the second inner heating plate 18, the second outer heating plate 19, the second protrusions 20, the second film heater 21, and the second biasing member 22) are arranged to be vertically symmetrical to each other and have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, the components on the first arm 11 side will be described in detail below, and a detailed description will not be provided of those on the second arm 12 side.

The first inner heating plate 13 is one of the holding members for holding hair during use. The first inner heating plate 13 is supported by the first arm 11 and is located in a region of the first arm 11 that faces the second inner heating plate 18 on the second arm 12 in the closed position. The second inner heating plate 18 is the other of the holding members for holding hair during use. The second inner heating plate 18 is supported by the second arm 12 and is located in a region of the second arm 12 that faces the first inner heating plate 13 on the first arm 11 in the closed position. This allows a strand of hair to be placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 during use.

The first inner heating plate 13 extends in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and faces the second arm 12 in the closed position. The first inner heating plate 13 has an upper surface 13a facing the inside of the first arm 11 (see FIG. 6) and a flat lower surface 13b exposed to the outside and facing the second arm 12 side (downward).

In this embodiment, the first inner heating plate 13 is supported by the first arm 11 so as to be slidable along a direction opposite to the second arm 12 (hereinafter referred to as the “opposing direction”) in the closed position. Specifically, the first inner heating plate 13 can slide and move between a standard position in which it protrudes downward from an opposing surface 11a of the first arm 11 that faces the second arm 12 in the closed position (see FIGS. 3 and 5) and an inner position that is located on the inner side of the first arm 11 than the standard position (not illustrated). When not subjected to a load in a direction from the outside to the inside of the first arm 11, the first inner heating plate 13 is biased from the inside to the outside of the first arm 11 by the first biasing member 17 (described later) and is held in the standard position. When subjected to a load in a direction from the outside to the inside of the first arm 11 (e.g., a load from the second inner heating plate 18 side), the first inner heating plate 13 slides toward the inside of the first arm 11 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 17.

The first inner heating plate 13 is a good (high) thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source. In this embodiment, the first inner heating plate 13 is made of copper alloy and is thermally connected to the first film heater 16 (described later), thereby being capable of generating heat using the first film heater 16 as a heat source. Examples of the copper alloy include those obtained by adding, for example, nickel, tin, zinc, or the like to copper, to which carbon or graphite is further added to improve heat conduction efficiency, corrosion resistance, and chemical resistance. The surface of the first inner heating plate 13 is preferably coated with a ceramic coating, a Teflon (registered trademark) coating, or the like. While the shape of the first inner heating plate 13 is not particularly limited, the lower surface 13b thereof is preferably flat.

The first outer heating plate 14 is a surface member that constitutes the surface (outer circumferential surface) of the hair iron 10 in the closed position. The first outer heating plate 14 can heat a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 10 in the closed position. The first outer heating plate 14 is supported by the first arm 11 and is located in a region of the first arm 11 that does not face the second arm 12 in the closed position. In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 14 extends in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and is formed to have a substantially semicircular cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The first outer heating plate 14 has a curved surface 14a that is curved so as to bulge upward in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and a flat lower surface 14b that faces the inside of the first arm 11. The lower surface 14b of the first outer heating plate 14 is located at a position spaced upward from the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13 and faces the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13. In other words, a space 24 (hereinafter referred to as the “internal space 24”) is provided between the lower surface 14b of the first outer heating plate 14 and the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13.

The first outer heating plate 14 is a good thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source. In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 14 is an aluminum product formed by aluminum die casting or extrusion molding. The surface of the first outer heating plate 14 is preferably coated with an anodic oxide coating by anodizing, a ceramic coating, a Teflon (registered trademark) coating, or the like. The first outer heating plate 14 is thermally connected to the first film heater 16 (described later) and can generate heat using the first film heater 16 as a heat source. That is, in this embodiment, both the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 are thermally connected to the same first film heater 16 and are capable of generating heat.

In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 14 has a plurality of grooves 23 in the curved surface 14a. The grooves 23 extend along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The first protrusions 15 (described later) are attached to the grooves 23. The grooves 23 each have a shape that is enlarged on the inside to prevent the first protrusions 15 from coming off. The curved surface 14a of the first outer heating plate 14 is exposed to the outside of the first arm 11 between the grooves 23. As a result, heat can be applied to a strand of hair wrapped around the hair iron 10 to curl the hair. That is, the first outer heating plate 14 serves as a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 10.

Although the single first outer heating plate 14 is used as a surface member in this embodiment, the number thereof is not limited to one. For example, a plurality of separate first outer heating plates may be arranged between the first protrusions 15 and used as a surface member. In addition, although the first outer heating plate 14 of this embodiment is provided with the grooves 23 extending along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends, it is not so limited. For example, the first outer heating plate 14 may be provided with a plurality of grooves extending along the circumferential direction about the axis of the first arm 11, or it may be provided with a plurality of insertion holes into which the first protrusions 15 can be inserted instead of the grooves.

The first protrusions 15 are supported by the first arm 11 and are located in a region of the outer surface of the first arm 11 that does not face the second arm 12 in the closed position. The first protrusions 15 protrude outward from the first arm 11 (in a direction away from the first arm 11). The first protrusions 15 are poor (low) thermal conductors since they may come into direct contact with the skin (scalp, etc.) during use. In addition, the first protrusions 15 are preferably made of resin with high heat resistance because they are adjacent to the first outer heating plate 14, which generates heat and becomes hot. The first protrusions 15 may be formed in any manner as long as they do not cause the user to feel hot when touching the skin during use: for example, they may be formed entirely of a poor thermal conductor, or they may be formed of a core member, such as a metal, coated with a poor thermal conductor.

In this embodiment, the first protrusions 15 form part of a comb-like member 25 and can be used to comb hair during use. The comb-like member 25 includes an engagement portion 26 that is inserted into and secured to one of the grooves 23 and the first protrusions 15 each protruding in a rod shape from the engagement portion 26 to the outside of the first arm 11. The engagement portion 26 extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The first protrusions 15 are arranged in parallel rows and spaced apart from one another in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The first protrusions 15 each extend from the engagement portion 26 in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The comb-like member 25 is supported by the first outer heating plate 14 with the engagement portion 26 inserted into and secured to one of the grooves 23 of the first outer heating plate 14. In other words, in this embodiment, the first protrusions 15 are supported by the first arm 11 through the first outer heating plate 14. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the first protrusions 15 protrude radially from the center side of the first arm 11 to the outside (outside in the radial direction) in a cross-section intersecting the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The curved surface 14a of the first outer heating plate 14 is located between the first protrusions 15 and constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 10.

In this embodiment, although the engagement portion 26 of the comb-like member 25 extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends, it is not so limited. For example, if the first outer heating plate 14 is provided with a plurality of grooves extending along the circumferential direction about the axis of the first arm 11, the engagement portion 26 of the comb-like member 25 may be formed to extend along the circumferential direction about the axis of the first arm 11. In addition, while the first protrusions 15 of this embodiment form part of the comb-like member 25, they are not so limited. The first protrusions 15 may each be formed separately. Likewise, while the first protrusions 15 of this embodiment are rod-shaped, they are not so limited. For example, the first protrusions 15 may be formed in a plate shape that extends circumferentially while intersecting the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and protrudes outward from the first arm 11, thereby serving as a protector that prevents the skin from directly touching the first outer heating plate 14 during use.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the first film heater 16 is a heater that serves as a heat source for causing the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 to generate heat. The first film heater 16 is formed of, for example, a resistive heating circuit 16a made of a patterned metal foil (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel, copper, silver, tungsten, etc.) and a film sheet 16b (e.g., a polyimide sheet): the resistive heating circuit 16a is attached to one side of the film sheet 16b. The first film heater 16 is located in the internal space 24 of the first arm 11 and is in contact with and thermally connected to both the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14. In other words, both the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 are thermally connected to the same film heater (the first film heater 16) and are capable of generating heat. As a result, heat can be applied to a strand of hair placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 to straighten the hair during use. Heat can also be applied to a strand of hair wrapped around the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 to curl the hair. Incidentally, when both the first inner heating plate (first holding member) 13 and the first outer heating plate (surface member) 14 are thermally connected to the same film heater, it means that both the first holding member and the surface member are thermally connected to a single common film heater.

In this embodiment, the first film heater 16 is incorporated in the first arm 11 in a state where it is bent into a U-shape in cross-section. Specifically, the first film heater 16 is bent into a U-shape in cross-section such that the side having the resistive heating circuit 16a faces outward. The first film heater 16 integrally has a lower portion 16L in contact with the first inner heating plate 13, an upper portion 16U in contact with the first outer heating plate 14, and a side portion 16M between the lower portion 16L and the upper portion 16U. The first film heater 16 extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends with a U-shaped cross-section open to the side. The lower portion 16L of the first film heater 16 extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends while intersecting the opposing direction, and the side (lower surface) having the resistive heating circuit 16a is in surface contact with the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13. The upper portion 16U of the first film heater 16 is located at a position spaced upward from the lower portion 16L and extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends while intersecting the opposing direction, and the side (upper surface) having the resistive heating circuit 16a is in surface contact with the lower surface 14b of the first outer heating plate 14. The side portion 16M of the first film heater 16 extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends while intersecting the width direction of the first arm 11 (left-to-right or horizontal direction in FIG. 5), and the upper and lower ends thereof are continuous with one end of the upper portion 16U and one end of the lower portion 16L in the width direction, respectively.

The resistive heating circuit 16a of the first film heater 16 is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery 28 mounted in the hair iron 10 and generates heat by power supplied from the rechargeable battery 28. The heat of the resistive heating circuit 16a of the first film heater 16 is transferred to the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14, thereby causing the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 to generate heat. The hair iron 10 may be provided with a switch (not illustrated) on the gripper to turn on and off the power supply from the rechargeable battery 28 to the first film heater 16 (and the second film heater 21).

The rechargeable battery 28 may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery using two 18650 cells. The rechargeable battery 28 is removably mounted in the gripper of the hair iron 10 (in this embodiment, the gripper of the first arm 11). The rechargeable battery 28 may be non-removably incorporated in the hair iron 10.

In this embodiment, a thermistor (temperature sensor (not illustrated)) is provided on the upper side of the lower portion 16L of the first film heater 16 (the side opposite to the resistive heating circuit 16a) so as to be in contact with the lower portion 16L to control the temperature of the first film heater 16. The thermistor (temperature sensor) of this embodiment is located above the central region of the first inner heating plate 13 in the width direction on the base side of the first arm 11 and extends along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends; however, its position is not limited thereto.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 8, and 9, the first biasing member 17 is provided in the first arm 11 to reduce excessive pressure on hair strands placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 during use. The first biasing member 17 is an elastic member (e.g., a spring, rubber, etc.) which is expandable and contractible in the opposing direction and is located between the lower portion 16L and the upper portion 16U of the first film heater 16 in the internal space 24 of the first arm 11. In other words, the first biasing member 17 is located between the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 and biases the first inner heating plate 13 downward to the standard position. When the first inner heating plate 13 is subjected to a load in a direction from the outside (lower side) to the inside (upper side) of the first arm 11 (e.g., a load from the second inner heating plate 18 side), it slides toward the inside of the first arm 11 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 17.

In this embodiment, the first biasing member 17 is made of elastic material (e.g., silicone rubber) and is formed in a cylindrical shape that is long in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends with a through hole passing therethrough in the opposing direction. The first biasing member 17 has a bellows-like side surface and is elastically deformable in the opposing direction. In this embodiment, a mica plate (not illustrated) that serves as a thermal insulator is provided on the upper surface of the lower portion 16L and on the lower surface of the upper portion 16U of the first film heater 16. The mica plate on the lower portion 16L of the first film heater 16 is arranged such that the thermistor is located between it and the lower portion 16L. One end (lower end) of the first biasing member 17 abuts from above against the mica plate on the lower portion 16L of the first film heater 16 on the first inner heating plate 13 side, while the other end (upper end) of the first biasing member 17 abuts from below against the mica plate on the upper portion 16U of the first film heater 16 on the first outer heating plate 14 side. Incidentally, since the first biasing member 17 is located on a side 27 (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) of the first film heater 16 opposite the resistive heating circuit 16a, the first biasing member 17 need not necessarily be made of silicone rubber with high heat resistance and may be made of a material with low heat resistance. In addition, although a thermal insulator (mica plate) is provided between the first film heater 16 and the first biasing member 17 in this embodiment, a thermal insulator is not necessarily required. Furthermore, although the first biasing member 17 of this embodiment is a cylindrical member that is elastic and formed in a bellows shape, it is not so limited. The first biasing member 17 may have any structure as long as it is elastically deformable and capable of biasing the first inner heating plate 13 to the standard position. For example, the first biasing member 17 may be one or more springs.

Next, how to use the hair iron 10 will be described.

When straightening hair, the user first opens the hair iron 10 (see FIG. 4) and places a section of hair between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18. The user then closes the hair iron 10 while the hair is placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18. Before or after the hair is placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18, power is supplied to the first film heater 16 and the second film heater 21 to cause the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 to generate heat. This allows heat to be applied to the hair placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 to straighten the hair. At this time, the user may slide the hair iron 10 down the hair in the direction in which the hair grows while the hair is placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18.

When curling hair, for example, the user combs their hair with the first protrusions 15 of the comb-like member 25 on the first arm 11 or the second arm 12 (in this embodiment, the first arm 11) of the closed hair iron 10 to bring the hair into contact with the curved surface 14a of the first outer heating plate 14 between the first protrusions 15. The user then rotates the hair iron 10 while holding the hair in contact with the curved surface 14a of the first outer heating plate 14 to wrap the hair around the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 on the tip side of the hair iron 10. Before or after the hair is wrapped around the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19, power is supplied to the first film heater 16 and the second film heater 21 to cause the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 to generate heat. This allows heat to be applied to the hair wrapped around the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 to curl the hair. At this time, the user may slide the hair iron 10 down the hair in the direction in which the hair grows while the hair is wrapped around the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19.

In the hair iron 10 configured as described above, at least one of the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 (in this embodiment, both) is a good thermal conductor and is capable of generating heat based on heat from a heat source. Therefore, heat can be applied to a strand of hair placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 to straighten the hair.

Similarly, at least one of the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 (in this embodiment, both) is a good thermal conductor and is capable of generating heat based on heat from a heat source. Therefore, heat can be applied from the first outer heating plate 14 and/or the second outer heating plate 19 to a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 10 to curl the hair.

In this manner, according to the embodiment, the single hair iron 10 can be used to style hair both curly and straight.

The first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 are thermally connected to the first film heater 16 which is supplied with power and generates heat, thus being capable of generating heat. Similarly, the second inner heating plate 18 and the second outer heating plate 19 are thermally connected to the second film heater 21 which is supplied with power and generates heat, thus being capable of generating heat. In this manner, the film heaters 16 and 21 are used as heat sources for causing the heating plates 13, 14, 18, and 19 to generate heat: therefore, the weight of the hair iron 10 can be reduced as opposed to the case where ceramic heaters are used. In particular, the hair iron 10 can be lighter when it is cordless as in this embodiment, making it easier to carry.

In addition, by using the film heaters 16 and 21, space can be saved in the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, and the internal space 24 can be secured in the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 as opposed to using ceramic heaters. Thus, as in this embodiment, the biasing members 17 and 22 can be provided in the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, respectively.

Moreover, since both the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 are thermally connected to the same first film heater 16, the internal configuration of the first arm 11 can be simplified as opposed to the case where they are thermally connected to their respective individual heaters. Similarly, since both the second inner heating plate 18 and the second outer heating plate 19 are thermally connected to the same second film heater 21, the internal configuration of the second arm 12 can be simplified as in the first arm 11.

Furthermore, since both the first inner heating plate 13 and the first outer heating plate 14 are in contact with the first film heater 16 and are heated directly by the first film heater 16, they can be heated efficiently as opposed to the case where they are heated indirectly (where they are heated through another component). Similarly, since both the second inner heating plate 18 and the second outer heating plate 19 are heated directly by the second film heater 21, they can be heated efficiently.

The hair iron 10 is provided with the first biasing member 17, and when the first inner heating plate 13 is subjected to a load in a direction from the outside to the inside of the first arm 11 (e.g., a load from the second inner heating plate 18 side), it slides toward the inside of the first arm 11 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 17. This reduces excessive pressure on hair strands placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18, thereby preventing or reducing damage to the hair. In this embodiment, the hair iron 10 is further provided with the second biasing member 22, so that excessive pressure on the hair can also be reduced on the second arm 12 side. This also allows the amount of sliding movement of the inner heating plates, when they are each subjected to a load applied in the opposing direction, to be distributed to both the first arm 11 side and the second arm 12 side.

In addition, since the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 are made of copper alloy and have relatively high thermal conductivity, the temperature of the film heaters 16 and 21 can be reduced compared to when they are made of, for example, aluminum. As a result, the power supplied to the film heaters 16 and 21 can be reduced. The cordless hair iron 10 equipped with the rechargeable battery 28 can therefore be used for a long time.

On the other hand, since the first protrusions 15 and the second protrusions 20 are poor thermal conductors, they serve as protectors to protect the user's skin (scalp, etc.) from direct contact with the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19, respectively. Thus, it is possible to prevent burns and the like caused by the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19.

In this embodiment, although the components on the first arm 11 side and the components on the second arm 12 side are arranged to be vertically symmetrical to each other and have substantially the same configuration, they are not so limited. It may be sufficient that the hair iron 10 includes at least the first arm 11, the second arm 12, a first holding member (the first inner heating plate 13), a second holding member (the second inner heating plate 18), the first protrusions 15, and the first outer heating plate 14, and at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member is a good thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source.

For example, while both the first inner heating plate (first holding member) 13 and the second inner heating plate (second holding member) 18 of this embodiment are good thermal conductors, they are not so limited. Only one of the first holding member or the second holding member may be a good thermal conductor (heating plate) and the other a poor thermal conductor.

In this embodiment, the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 are arranged to be slidable relative to the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, respectively, and the first biasing member 17 and the second biasing member 22 are provided to bias the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18, respectively, to their standard positions; however, they are not so limited. For example, the first inner heating plate 13 may be arranged to be slidable relative to the first arm 11 and provided with the first biasing member 17, while the second inner heating plate 18 may be fixedly arranged relative to the second arm 12 without the second biasing member 22. Alternatively, the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 may be fixedly arranged relative to the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, respectively, without the first biasing member 17 and the second biasing member 22.

In this embodiment, although both the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are provided with a surface member (the first outer heating plate 14, the second outer heating plate 19) being a good thermal conductor and capable of generating heat, they are not so limited. It may be sufficient that at least one of the arms (the first arm 11) is provided with a surface member.

Likewise, in this embodiment, although both the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 are provided with a plurality of protrusions (the first protrusions 15, the second protrusions 20) being poor thermal conductors, they are not so limited. It may be sufficient that the protrusions are provided on at least one of the arms that has a surface member capable of generating heat.

In this embodiment, although the film heaters 16 and 21 are used as heat sources for causing the heating plates 13, 14, 18, and 19 to generate heat, the heat sources are not limited thereto.

In addition, while the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 of this embodiment are made of copper alloy, they are not so limited: they may be made of any other material with good thermal conductivity (e.g., aluminum).

Likewise, while the first outer heating plate 14 and the second outer heating plate 19 of this embodiment are aluminum products formed by aluminum die casting or extrusion molding, they are not so limited: they may be any other products with good thermal conductivity.

Further, while the first arm 11 and the second arm 12 of this embodiment are rotatably connected at their base ends, they are not so limited. For example, the base end of the first arm 11 and the intermediate portion of the second arm 12 in the extending direction may be connected so that the arms are rotatable about a rotation axis CL.

Furthermore, while the hair iron 10 of this embodiment is cordless, it is not so limited. The hair iron 10 may be a corded one that is connected to a power source, such as an electrical outlet, when in use.

A second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. A hair iron 30 of the second embodiment differs from the hair iron 10 of the first embodiment in the shapes of its first outer heating plate (31), first protrusions (32), second outer heating plate (33), and second protrusions (34). Otherwise, the hair iron 30 is similar to the hair iron 10 of the first embodiment:

therefore, like components will be designated by like reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the hair iron in a closed position according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12.

The hair iron 30 may be cordless and equipped with the rechargeable battery 28, for example. The hair iron 30 includes the first arm 11 and the second arm 12, which is rotatably connected to the first arm 11 so that it can be placed in a closed position and an open position.

The hair iron 30 includes, on the tip side of the first arm 11, the first inner heating plate 13, a first outer heating plate (surface member) 31, a plurality of first protrusions 32, the first film heater 16, and the first biasing member 17. The hair iron 30 also includes, on the tip side of the second arm 12, the second inner heating plate 18, a second outer heating plate (surface member) 33, a plurality of second protrusions 34, the second film heater 21, and the second biasing member 22.

The first outer heating plate 31 is a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair iron 30 in the closed position. During use, the first outer heating plate 31 can heat a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 30. The first outer heating plate 31 is supported by the first arm 11 and is located in a region of the first arm 11 that does not face the second arm 12 in the closed position. In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 31 has a main body 35 capable of generating heat and extending in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and one or more convex portions 36 capable of generating heat and protruding upward (to one side in a predetermined direction) from the main body 35.

The main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 is formed in a plate shape that intersects the opposing direction, and it extends in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends in the center of the upper side of the first arm 11 in the width direction (left-to-right or horizontal direction in FIG. 13). The main body 35 has an upper surface 35a that is exposed to the outside of the first arm 11 and a lower surface 35b that is located at a position spaced upward from the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13 and faces the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13. The internal space 24 is provided between the lower surface 35b of the main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 and the upper surface 13a of the first inner heating plate 13.

The convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31 are integrally formed with the main body 35 and protrude upward from the upper surface 35a of the main body 35. The convex portions 36 are exposed to the outside of the first arm 11 and can be used to comb hair while heating the hair during use. In this embodiment, there are a plurality of the convex portions 36, and they are arranged spaced apart from one another in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. In the first outer heating plate 31, the upper surface 35a of the main body 35 and the surfaces of the convex portions 36 serve as a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 30.

The first outer heating plate 31 is a good thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source. In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 31 is an aluminum product formed by aluminum die casting or extrusion molding. The lower surface 35b of the main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 is in surface contact with the side (upper surface) having the resistive heating circuit 16a of the upper portion 16U of the first film heater 16. Thus, the first outer heating plate 31 is thermally connected to the first film heater 16 and can generate heat using the first film heater 16 as a heat source.

The first protrusions 32 are supported by the first arm 11 and are located in a region of the outer surface of the first arm 11 that does not face the second arm 12 in the closed position. The first protrusions 32 protrude outward from the first arm 11. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first protrusions 32 protrude upward (to one side in a predetermined direction) along the direction in which the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31 protrude (predetermined direction). As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 13, the first protrusions 32 of this embodiment protrude upward (in the Y direction) and substantially parallel to one another in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 11 extends. The first protrusions 32 are poor thermal conductors since they may come into direct contact with the skin (scalp, etc.) during use. In addition, the first protrusions 32 are preferably made of resin with high heat resistance because they are adjacent to the first outer heating plate 31, which generates heat and becomes hot. The first protrusions 32 may be formed in any manner as long as they do not cause the user to feel hot when touching the skin during use: for example, they may be formed entirely of a poor thermal conductor, or they may be formed of a core member, such as a metal, coated with a poor thermal conductor.

In this embodiment, the first protrusions 32 form part of a pair of comb-like members 37 arranged on both sides of the first outer heating plate 31 in the width direction and can be used to comb hair during use. The pair of comb-like members 37 include support portions 38 (one for each) supported by the first arm 11 and the first protrusions 32 each protruding in a rod shape upward from the support portions 38.

The support portions 38 of the comb-like members 37 are configured to support the first protrusions 32. The support portions 38 are supported by the first arm 11 and extend along the direction in which the first arm 11 extends on both sides of the first outer heating plate 31 in the width direction. In this embodiment, the support portions 38 of the comb-like members 37 support both sides of the main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 in the width direction. In other words, the first outer heating plate 31 is supported by the first arm 11 through the pair of comb-like members 37. The upper surfaces of the support portions 38 are located at approximately the same height as the upper surface 35a of the main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 and form a curved surface having an arcuate cross-section together with the upper surface 35a of the main body 35.

The first protrusions 32 of the comb-like members 37 protrude upward from the support portions 38. In other words, the first protrusions 32 of this embodiment are supported by the first arm 11 through the support portions 38. The first protrusions 32 include a plurality of small protrusions 32a and a plurality of large protrusions 32b. The small protrusions 32a are aligned in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends on both sides of the first outer heating plate 31 in the width direction. The large protrusions 32b are aligned in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends and are located outside the small protrusions 32a on both sides in the width direction. That is, the upper surface 35a of the main body 35 of the first outer heating plate 31 is located between the first protrusions 32 (between the small protrusions 32a of the comb-like members 37 on both sides in the width direction).

The upper ends (tips) of the small protrusions 32a are located below the upper ends of the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31. On the other hand, the upper ends (tips) of the large protrusions 32b are located above (on one side in a predetermined direction from) the upper ends of the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31. In other words, the upper ends of the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31 are lower than the upper ends of the large protrusions 32b located on both sides in the width direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the number of the large protrusions 32b located on the outer side in the width direction is greater than that of the small protrusions 32a located on the inner side. In this manner, when the number of the large protrusions 32b provided on the outer side in the width direction is greater than that of the small protrusions 32a provided on the inner side, it is possible to increase the hair-catching ability and reduce hair tangling when the hair is released. Note, however, that although in this embodiment the large protrusions 32b are provided in greater numbers than the small protrusions 32a in their respective rows, they are not so limited. The large protrusions 32b and the small protrusions 32a may be provided in equal numbers, or the small protrusions 32a may be provided in greater numbers than the large protrusions 32b.

The second outer heating plate 33 is also a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair iron 30 in the closed position. During use, the second outer heating plate 33 can heat a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 30. The second outer heating plate 33 is supported by the second arm 12 and is located in a region of the second arm 12 that does not face the first arm 11 in the closed position.

The second outer heating plate 33 is formed in a plate shape intersecting the opposing direction. The second outer heating plate 33 extends in the direction in which the second arm 12 extends in the center of the lower side of the second arm 12 in the width direction (left-to-right or horizontal direction in FIG. 13). The second outer heating plate 33 has a lower surface 33a that is exposed to the outside of the second arm 12 and an upper surface 33b that is located at a position spaced downward from a lower surface 18a of the second inner heating plate 18 and faces the lower surface 18a of the second inner heating plate 18. The internal space 24 is provided between the upper surface 33b of the second outer heating plate 33 and the lower surface 18a of the second inner heating plate 18.

The second outer heating plate 33 is a good thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source. In this embodiment, the second outer heating plate 33 is an aluminum product formed by aluminum die casting or extrusion molding. The upper surface 33b of the second outer heating plate 33 is in surface contact with the side (lower surface) having a resistive heating circuit of a lower portion 21L of the second film heater 21. Thus, the second outer heating plate 33 is thermally connected to the second film heater 21 and can generate heat using the second film heater 21 as a heat source.

The second protrusions 34 are supported by the second arm 12 and are located in a region of the outer surface of the second arm 12 that does not face the first arm 11 in the closed position. The second protrusions 34 protrude outward (in this embodiment, downward) from the second arm 12. The second protrusions 34 are poor thermal conductors since they may come into direct contact with the skin (scalp, etc.) during use. The second protrusions 34 may be formed in any manner as long as they do not cause the user to feel hot when touching the skin during use: for example, they may be formed entirely of a poor thermal conductor, or they may be formed of a core member, such as a metal, coated with a poor thermal conductor.

In this embodiment, the second protrusions 34 serve as a protector to protect the user's skin (scalp, etc.) from direct contact with the second outer heating plate 33. The second protrusions 34 are each formed in a plate shape that intersects the direction in which the second arm 12 extends: they extend in the circumferential direction of the second arm 12 and protrude outward from the second arm 12. The second protrusions 34 are arranged spaced apart from one another in the direction in which the second arm 12 extends. The lower surface 33a of the second outer heating plate 33 is located between the second protrusions 34. More specifically, the lower surface 33a of the second outer heating plate 33 is located between the second protrusions 34 and constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 30. In this manner, the second outer heating plate 33 serves as a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 30. The second protrusions 34 can also be used to comb hair during use.

As with the hair iron 10 of the first embodiment, the hair iron 30 configured as described above can apply heat to a strand of hair placed between the first inner heating plate 13 and the second inner heating plate 18 to straighten the hair.

In addition, at least one of the first outer heating plate 31 and the second outer heating plate 33 (in this embodiment, both) is a good thermal conductor and can generate heat based on heat from a heat source. Therefore, heat can be applied from the first outer heating plate 31 and/or the second outer heating plate 33 to a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 30 to curl the hair.

In this manner, according to the embodiment, the single hair iron 30 can be used to style hair both curly and straight.

Moreover, the first outer heating plate 31 has the convex portions 36 capable of generating heat based on heat from a heat source, and the convex portions 36 can be used to comb hair while heating the hair.

Furthermore, since the upper ends (tips) of the large protrusions 32b are located above the upper ends of the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31, the large protrusions 32b serve as a protector to protect the user's skin (scalp, etc.) from direct contact with the convex portions 36. Thus, it is possible to prevent burns and the like caused by the convex portions 36.

Incidentally, although the first outer heating plate 31 and the second outer heating plate 33 of this embodiment are aluminum products formed by aluminum die casting or extrusion molding, they are not so limited: they may be any other products with good thermal conductivity.

Likewise, while the first outer heating plate 31 of this embodiment has the plate-shaped main body 35, it is not so limited. The first outer heating plate 31 may have the main body 35 of any other shape as long as it can heat a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 30 during use.

While the first outer heating plate 31 of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of heat-generating convex portions (the convex portions 36), it is not so limited. It may be sufficient that the first outer heating plate 31 has at least one heat-generating convex portion (36). In the case where a plurality of heat-generating convex portions (36) are provided, they need not necessarily be arranged spaced apart from one another in the direction in which the first arm 11 extends.

While the first protrusions 32 of this embodiment protrude along the direction in which the convex portions 36 of the first outer heating plate 31 protrude (predetermined direction), they are not so limited. For example, the first protrusions 32 may protrude radially from the center side of the first arm 11 to the outside (outside in the radial direction). In this case as well, it is preferable to provide the large protrusions 32b the tips of which are located above the upper ends of the convex portions 36.

In addition, in this embodiment, the components on the first arm 11 side (the first outer heating plate 31 and the first protrusions 32) and the components on the second arm 12 side (the second outer heating plate 33 and the second protrusions 34) are different in configuration from each other; however, they are not so limited. The components on the first arm 11 side and the components on the second arm 12 side may have substantially the same configuration and may be arranged to be vertically symmetrical to each other.

Furthermore, while the hair iron 30 of this embodiment is cordless, it is not so limited. The hair iron 30 may be a corded one that is connected to a power source, such as an electrical outlet, when in use.

A third embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. A hair iron 40 of the third embodiment differs from the hair iron 10 of the first embodiment in that it is provided with a cap and in that each heating plate is provided with a corresponding film heater. Otherwise, the hair iron 40 is similar to the hair iron 10 of the first embodiment: therefore, like components will be designated by like reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will not be repeated.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are side views of the hair iron according to the third embodiment: FIG. 14A illustrates the hair iron without a cap, and FIG. 14B illustrates the hair iron with a cap. FIG. 15 is a side view of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A in an open position. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the tip side of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A as viewed from the outside. FIG. 17 is a plan view of the tip side of the hair iron illustrated in FIG. 14A as viewed from the inside. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 14A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14A to 18, the hair iron 40 of the third embodiment may be cordless and equipped with the rechargeable battery 28, for example. The hair iron 40 includes a rod-shaped first arm 41, a rod-shaped second arm 42, and a cap 43 (see FIG. 14B). The second arm 42 is rotatably connected to the first arm 41 so that it can be placed in a closed position where its tip-side portion is close to or in contact with the first arm 41 (see FIG. 14A) and an open position where its tip-side portion is separated from the first arm 41 (see FIG. 15). In the following, of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42, the one located on the upper side in the closed position will be referred to as the first arm 41, and the one located on the lower side will be referred to as the second arm 42.

In this embodiment, the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are connected at their base ends so as to be rotatable rotation axis CL extending in a direction about a perpendicular to the direction in which the arms 41 and 42 extend (the direction along arrow X). The first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are each formed to have a substantially semicircular cross-section and are connected together to have a circular cross-section as a whole in the closed position. When the hair iron 40 is in use, a portion on the base side from a predetermined position in the middle of each of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 in the extending direction serves as a gripper to be gripped by the user. On the other hand, a portion on the tip side from the predetermined position of each of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 serves as a hair-setting part for holding and winding hair. The tip-side portion can be stored in the cap 43.

As illustrated in FIG. 14B, the hair iron 40 of this embodiment has the cap 43 that can be attached to and removed from the tip side of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42. The cap 43 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape (a cylindrical shape with a bottom on the left side in FIG. 14B) and defines an internal space (not illustrated) into which the hair-setting parts of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 on the tip side can be inserted. The cap 43 has a magnetic member (detectable member) 44 that enables the first arm 41 or the second arm 42 to detect the state of being closed with the cap 43 (hereinafter referred to as the “cap closed state”) when the hair-setting parts of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are inserted into the internal space. The magnetic member 44 is provided at the end of the cap 43 on the opening side (right side in FIG. 14B), and the cap closed state can be detected by a magnetic sensor 60 (described later) provided on the first arm 41 or the second arm 42 (in this embodiment, the first arm 41). Incidentally, the detectable member need not necessarily be the magnetic member 44, and it may be any member or portion that can enable the first arm 41 or the second arm 42 to detect the cap closed state.

The magnetic sensor (detector) 60 is located at the end of the gripper of the first arm 41 on the side of the hair-setting part (the tip side of the first arm 41). The magnetic sensor 60 detects the magnetic field of the magnetic member 44, thereby detecting the cap closed state. The hair iron 40 further includes a power controller 61 capable of controlling the power supply. The power controller 61 turns off the hair iron 40 when the magnetic sensor 60 detects the cap closed state while the power of the hair iron 40 is on. Specifically, the power controller 61 shuts off the power supply from the rechargeable battery 28 to film heaters (described later). Incidentally, the detector need not necessarily be the magnetic sensor 60, and it may be any member or portion that can enable the first arm 41 or the second arm 42 to detect the cap closed state.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14A to 18, the hair iron 40 includes, on the tip side of the first arm 41, a first inner heating plate (first holding member) 45, a first outer heating plate (surface member) 46, a plurality of first protrusions 47, a first inner film heater 48, and a first outer film heater 49. The hair iron 40 also includes, on the tip side of the second arm 42, a second inner heating plate (second holding member) 50, a second outer heating plate (surface member) 51, a plurality of second protrusions 52, a second inner film heater 53, and a second outer film heater 54.

In this embodiment, the components on the first arm 41 side (the first inner heating plate 45, the first outer heating plate 46, the first protrusions 47, the first inner film heater 48, and the first outer film heater 49) and the components on the second arm 42 side (the second inner heating plate 50, the second outer heating plate 51, the second protrusions 52, the second inner film heater 53, and the second outer film heater 54) are arranged to be vertically symmetrical to each other and have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, the components on the first arm 41 side will be described in detail below, and a detailed description will not be provided of those on the second arm 42 side.

The first inner heating plate 45 is one of the holding members for holding hair during use. The first inner heating plate 45 is supported by the first arm 41 and is located in a region of the first arm 41 that faces the second inner heating plate 50 on the second arm 42 in the closed position. The second inner heating plate 50 is the other of the holding members for holding hair during use. The second inner heating plate 50 is supported by the second arm 42 and is located in a region of the second arm 42 that faces the first inner heating plate 45 on the first arm 41 in the closed position. This allows a strand of hair to be placed between the first inner heating plate 45 and the second inner heating plate 50 during use. The first inner heating plate 45 may be made of the same material and formed by the same processing as the first inner heating plate 13 of the first embodiment, and therefore, the description thereof is not repeated here.

The first inner heating plate 45 extends in the direction in which the first arm 41 extends and faces the second arm 42 in the closed position. The first inner heating plate 45 has an upper surface 45a facing the inside of the first arm 41 (see FIG. 18) and a lower surface 45b exposed to the outside and facing the second arm 42 side (downward). The first inner heating plate 45 is thermally connected to the first inner film heater 48 (described later) and can generate heat using the first inner film heater 48 as a heat source.

As in the first embodiment, at least one of the first inner heating plate 45 and the second inner heating plate 50 may be supported by the first arm 41 and/or the second arm 42 so as to be slidable along the opposing direction. In addition, as in the first embodiment, the first arm 41 or the second arm 42 may be provided therein with a biasing member that biases the first inner heating plate 45 or the second inner heating plate 50 from the inside to the outside.

The first outer heating plate 46 is a surface member that constitutes the surface (outer circumferential surface) of the hair iron 40 in the closed position. The first outer heating plate 46 can heat a strand of hair wrapped around the tip-side portion of the hair iron 40 in the closed position. The first outer heating plate 46 is supported by the first arm 41 and is located in a region of the first arm 41 that does not face the second arm 42 in the closed position. In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 46 extends in the direction in which the first arm 41 extends and is formed to have a substantially semicircular cross-section in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 41 extends. The first outer heating plate 46 has a curved surface 46a that is curved so as to bulge upward in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 41 extends and a lower surface 46b that faces the inside of the first arm 41 (see FIG. 18). The first outer heating plate 46 is thermally connected to the first outer film heater 49 (described later) and can generate heat using the first outer film heater 49 as a heat source. The first outer heating plate 46 may be made of the same material and formed by the same processing as the first outer heating plate 14 of the first embodiment, and therefore, the description thereof is not repeated here.

In this embodiment, the first outer heating plate 46 has a plurality of grooves 55 in the curved surface 46a. The curved surface 46a of the first outer heating plate 46 is exposed to the outside of the first arm 41 between the grooves 55. This allows heat to be applied to a strand of hair wrapped around the hair iron 40 to curl the hair. That is, the first outer heating plate 46 serves as a surface member that constitutes the surface of the hair-setting part of the hair iron 40. The grooves 55 have basically the same configuration as the grooves 23 of the first embodiment, and therefore, the description thereof is not repeated here.

Although the single first outer heating plate 46 is used as a surface member in this embodiment, the number thereof is not limited to one. For example, a plurality of separate first outer heating plates may be arranged between the first protrusions 47 and used as a surface member. In addition, although the first outer heating plate 46 of this embodiment is provided with the grooves 55 extending along the direction in which the first arm 41 extends, it is not so limited. For example, the first outer heating plate 46 may be provided with a plurality of grooves extending along the circumferential direction about the axis of the first arm 41, or it may be provided with a plurality of insertion holes into which the first protrusions 47 can be inserted instead of the grooves.

The first protrusions 47 are supported by the first arm 41 and are located in a region of the outer surface of the first arm 41 that does not face the second arm 42 in the closed position. The first protrusions 47 protrude outward from the first arm 41 (in a direction away from the first arm 41). As illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 18, the first protrusions 47 of this embodiment protrude upward (in the Y direction) and substantially parallel to one another in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 41 extends. In this embodiment, the first protrusions 47 are each formed in a rod shape and protrude outward from the first arm 41. The first protrusions 47 are poor thermal conductors since they may come into direct contact with the skin (scalp, etc.) during use. In addition, the first protrusions 47 are preferably made of resin with high heat resistance because they are adjacent to the first outer heating plate 46, which generates heat and becomes hot. The first protrusions 47 may be formed in any manner as long as they do not cause the user to feel hot when touching the skin during use: for example, they may be formed entirely of a poor thermal conductor, or they may be formed of a core member, such as a metal, coated with a poor thermal conductor. The first protrusions 47 has basically the same configuration as the first protrusions 15 of the first embodiment, and therefore, the description thereof is not repeated here.

As illustrated in FIG. 14A, in this embodiment, the first protrusions 47 are formed to be longer than the second protrusions 52 on the second arm 42 in a side view. In other words, in comparison between the first protrusions 47 on the first arm 41 and the second protrusions 52 on the second arm 42, one protrudes a greater amount than the other. In this manner, when the length of the first protrusions 47 on the first arm 41 is different from that of the second protrusions 52 on the second arm 42, it can be facilitated to catch a strand of hair to wrap it around the hair iron and also to release the hair from the wrapped state.

In this embodiment, although the first protrusions 47 on the first arm 41 and the second protrusions 52 on the second arm 42 are set to have different lengths, they are not so limited and may have the same length. In addition, while the first protrusions 47 of this embodiment are rod-shaped, they are not so limited. For example, the first protrusions 47 may be formed in a plate shape that extends circumferentially while intersecting the direction in which the first arm 41 extends and protrudes outward from the first arm 41, thereby serving as a protector that prevents the skin from directly touching the first outer heating plate 46 during use.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, in this embodiment, the first protrusions 47 include a plurality of inner protrusions 47a located on the inside of the first arm 41 in the width direction and a plurality of outer protrusions 47b located on the outer edges on both sides of the first arm 41 in the width direction. The outer protrusions 47b are arranged in rows in the direction in which the first arm 41 extends (in this embodiment, one row on each side of the first arm 41 in the width direction). The inner protrusions 47a are also arranged in rows in the direction in which the first arm 41 extends (in this embodiment, two rows between the rows of outer protrusions 47b on both sides in the width direction). Note that the number of rows of the inner protrusions 47a and the number of rows of the outer protrusions 47b are not limited to the above.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the number of the outer protrusions 47b (13 in FIG. 16) constituting each of the outer rows in the width direction is greater than the number of the inner protrusions 47a (8 in FIG. 16) constituting each of the inner rows. In this manner, when the first protrusions 47 are provided in greater numbers on the outer side than on the inner side in the width direction, it is possible to increase the hair-catching ability and reduce hair tangling when the hair is released. Note, however, that although in this embodiment the outer protrusions 47b are provided in greater numbers than the inner protrusions 47a in their respective rows, they are not so limited. The outer protrusions 47b and the inner protrusions 47a may be provided in equal numbers, or the inner protrusions 47a may be provided in greater numbers than the outer protrusions 47b.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, in this embodiment, each heating plate (the first inner heating plate 45, the first outer heating plate 46, the second inner heating plate 50, and the second outer heating plate 51) is provided with a corresponding film heater (the first inner film heater 48, the first outer film heater 49, the second inner film heater 53, and the second outer film heater 54). Specifically, the first inner film heater 48 is a heater that serves as a heat source for causing the first inner heating plate 45 to generate heat. The first inner film heater 48 is located in the internal space on the tip side of the first arm 41 and is in contact with and thermally connected to the upper surface 45a of the first inner heating plate 45. The first outer film heater 49 is a heater that serves as a heat source for causing the first outer heating plate 46 to generate heat. The first outer film heater 49 is located in the internal space on the tip side of the first arm 41 and is in contact with and thermally connected to the lower surface 46b of the first outer heating plate 46. The second inner film heater 53 is a heater that serves as a heat source for causing the second inner heating plate 50 to generate heat. The second inner film heater 53 is located in the internal space on the tip side of the second arm 42 and is in contact with and thermally connected to a lower surface 50a of the second inner heating plate 50. The second outer film heater 54 is a heater that serves as a heat source for causing the second outer heating plate 51 to generate heat. The second outer film heater 54 is located in the internal space on the tip side of the second arm 42 and is in contact with and thermally connected to an upper surface 51a of the second outer heating plate 51.

Thus, heat can be applied to a strand of hair placed between the first inner heating plate 45 and the second inner heating plate 50 to straighten the hair. In addition, heat can also be applied to a strand of hair wrapped around the first outer heating plate 46 and the second outer heating plate 51 to curl the hair.

The first inner film heater 48, the first outer film heater 49, the second inner film heater 53, and the second outer film heater 54 are electrically connected to the rechargeable battery 28 and generate heat by power supplied from the rechargeable battery 28. The hair iron 40 may be provided with a switch (not illustrated) on the gripper to turn on and off the power supply from the rechargeable battery 28 to the film heaters 48, 49, 53, and 54. The hair iron 40 may also be provided with a thermistor (temperature sensor (not illustrated)) to control the temperature of the film heaters 48, 49, 53, and 54 as in the first embodiment.

As configured as described above, the single hair iron 40 can be used to style hair both curly and straight, similarly to that of the first embodiment.

In addition, each heating plate (the first inner heating plate 45, the first outer heating plate 46, the second inner heating plate 50, and the second outer heating plate 51) is provided with a corresponding film heater (the first inner film heater 48, the first outer film heater 49, the second inner film heater 53, and the second outer film heater 54). This allows each heating plate to be individually adjusted for temperature, heating start time, and the like. For example, the first inner heating plate 45 and the second inner heating plate 50 can be heated without heating the first outer heating plate 46 and the second outer heating plate 51. Conversely, the first outer heating plate 46 and the second outer heating plate 51 can be heated without heating the first inner heating plate 45 and the second inner heating plate 50.

Incidentally, while both the first inner heating plate (first holding member) 45 and the second inner heating plate (second holding member) 50 of this embodiment are good thermal conductors, they are not so limited. Only one of the first holding member or the second holding member may be a good thermal conductor (heating plate) and the other a poor thermal conductor.

In this embodiment, although both the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are provided with a surface member (the first outer heating plate 46, the second outer heating plate 51) being a good thermal conductor and capable of generating heat, they are not so limited. It may be sufficient that at least one of the arms (the first arm 41) is provided with a surface member.

Likewise, in this embodiment, although both the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 are provided with a plurality of protrusions (the first protrusions 47, the second protrusions 52) being poor thermal conductors, they are not so limited. It may be sufficient that the protrusions are provided on at least one of the arms that has a surface member capable of generating heat.

Further, while the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 of this embodiment are rotatably connected at their base ends, they are not so limited. For example, the base end of the first arm 41 and the intermediate portion of the second arm 42 in the extending direction may be connected so that the arms are rotatable about a rotation axis CL.

Furthermore, while the hair iron 40 of this embodiment is cordless, it is not so limited. The hair iron 40 may be a corded one that is connected to a power source, such as an electrical outlet, when in use.

Next, a modification of the protrusions will be described. In the first to third embodiments described above, the protrusions are each formed in a rod shape; however, they need not necessarily be rod-shaped.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a plurality of protrusions according to a modification. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a state in which rod-shaped protrusions and a first outer heating plate are removed from a first arm illustrated in FIG. 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, a hair iron 70 includes a first arm 71 and a second arm 72, both having a plurality of protrusions. The hair iron 70 may have basically the same configuration as in the first to third embodiments, except for the protrusions. In addition, only one of the first arm 71 or the second arm 72 may be provided with the protrusions. In this modification, the protrusions on the first arm 71 and those on the second arm 72 have substantially the same configuration. Therefore, a plurality of first protrusions 73 on the first arm 71 will be described in detail below, and a description will not be provided of those on the second arm 72.

The first protrusions 73 are poor thermal conductors. The first protrusions 73 are supported by the first arm 71 and protrude outward (upward in FIG. 19) in a region of the first arm 71 that does not face the second arm 72 in the closed position. The first protrusions 73 are arranged on the surface (outer circumferential surface) of the first arm 71 in a plurality of rows L1 to L4 (four rows in FIG. 19), which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction (Z direction) and extend in the direction in which the first arm 71 extends (X direction). In each of the rows L1 to L4, the first protrusions 73 are spaced apart in the direction in which the first arm 71 extends. The first protrusions 73 in the inner rows L2 and L3 in the circumferential direction are rod-like protrusions 74 as in the first to third embodiments. The first protrusions 73 in the rows L1 and L4 on both sides in the circumferential direction are brush-like protrusions 75 each formed of a bundle of bristles 75a. The bristles 75a may be artificial bristles made of nylon or the like, or they may be natural bristles such as hog bristles or boar bristles. In other words, the first protrusions 73 include the brush-like protrusions 75 each formed of a bundle of the bristles 75a. As in the first to third embodiments, a first outer heating plate (surface member) 76 is provided between each adjacent pair of the rows L1 to L4. Incidentally, although the first protrusions 73 of this modification include the rod-like protrusions 74 and the brush-like protrusions 75, they are not so limited. The first protrusions 73 may be entirely formed of the brush-like protrusions 75.

In this manner, when the first protrusions 73 include the brush-like protrusions 75, the user can style the hair curly or straight while combing the hair with the brush.

In addition, among the first protrusions 73 in the rows L1 to L4, those in the rows L1 and L4 on both sides in the circumferential direction are the brush-like protrusions 75, thereby increasing the hair-catching ability (ability to hold hair).

Furthermore, the first protrusions 73 protrude outward (upward in FIG. 19) from the first arm 71. In other words, the first protrusions 73 protrude upward (to one side in a predetermined direction) in parallel with one another. Therefore, the spreading of the first protrusions 73 can be reduced even if the brush-like protrusions 75 are provided on both sides in the circumferential direction. Thus, the size of the first arm 71 can be reduced in the width direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 20, it is preferred that the brush-like protrusions 75 of the first protrusions 73 be integrated with the main body of the first arm 71. This makes it possible to easily secure a width for embedding the brush-like protrusions 75 in the main body of the first arm 71.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. Various changes, modifications, and variations can be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. That is, the disclosure is intended to embrace all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hair iron, comprising: a first arm;a second arm that is rotatably connected to the first arm and can be placed in a closed position where a tip-side portion thereof is close to or in contact with the first arm and an open position where the tip-side portion is separated from the first arm;a first holding member that is supported by the first arm and is located in a region of the first arm that faces the second arm in the closed position;a second holding member that is supported by the second arm and is located in a region of the second arm that faces the first holding member on the first arm in the closed position;a plurality of protrusions being poor thermal conductors, which are supported by the first arm and protrude outward in a region of the first arm that does not face the second arm in the closed position; anda surface member located between the protrusions on the first arm,wherein the surface member and at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member are good thermal conductors and are capable of generating heat based on heat from a heat source.

2. The hair iron according to claim 1, further comprising a film heater that generates heat when supplied with power, wherein at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member is thermally connected to the film heater to be capable of generating heat.

3. The hair iron according to claim 2, wherein the first holding member is a good thermal conductor,the film heater is incorporated in the first arm, andthe first holding member and the surface member are both thermally connected to the same film heater to be capable of generating heat.

4. The hair iron according to claim 2, further comprising a biasing member that is located between the first holding member and the surface member in the first arm and is capable of biasing the first holding member, wherein the first holding member is supported by the first arm so as to be slidable along a direction opposite to the second holding member in the closed position, and slides toward inside of the first arm against a biasing force of the biasing member when subjected to a load from a second holding member side.

5. The hair iron according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member is made of copper alloy.

6. The hair iron according to claim 1, wherein the surface member has a convex portion that protrudes to one side in a predetermined direction and is capable of generating heat.

7. The hair iron according to claim 6, wherein the protrusions include a large protrusion whose tip is on the one side from that of the convex portion in the predetermined direction.