Patent Grant
10631610
This application is the U.S. National Stage of PCT/FR2016/051798, filed Jul. 12, 2016, which in turn claims priority to French patent application number 1557632 filed Aug. 7, 2015. The content of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
This invention relates to the field of hair styling appliances for curling strands of hair, in particular those equipped with an automated strand winding device to curl the strand.
Such hair styling appliances for curling strands of hair, with an automated strand winding device to curl the strand, are already known to those skilled in the art. For example, patent applications published under the numbers FR2373986A1, DE2816289A1, WO2009077747A2, WO2012080751A2, WO2013186547A1 describe such hair styling appliances. According to this type of design, the hair styling appliance comprises a housing which has a winding chamber having an opening for inserting the hair strand, a mandrel arranged in this winding chamber and a winder configured to wind the hair strand around the mandrel.
In the patent application FR2373986A1, the winder is shaped like a spiral with teeth such that when the appliance is turned on, the strand of hair can be grasped and wound around the heating mandrel.
In the patent application DE2816289A1, the winder is in the form of a cylinder coaxially arranged around a portion of the mandrel in a winding chamber of the housing. The mandrel has a conical head which extends outside the winder and the winding chamber of the housing. The winder has a notch with a hook that permits
winding the strand around the winder and around the conical head of the mandrel, while moving the hair styling appliance against the scalp.
The aforementioned hair curling appliances, described in FR2373986A1 and DE2816289A, are complicated to use and are not ergonomic. In addition, they do not permit effective hair curling, because the wound hair is not kept close to the mandrel for proper curl formation.
In the patent application WO2009077747A2, the housing of the hair styling appliance has a slot arranged along the length of a winding chamber, through which the hair strand penetrates in order to be wound around the mandrel. Lateral guide blades are arranged in a V shape and longitudinally outside of the slot in order to receive a strand. The winder is in the form of a disk arranged around the mandrel. The disk is larger than the housing, such that it passes through the slot and the guide blades. The disk has a radial notch that leads to its peripheral contour and forms a hook, such that said notch can be positioned through the slot and between the guide blades, to facilitate positioning the hair strand in the notch in order to grasp the strand. Once the strand is in position in the notch, the strand is wound around the mandrel in the winding chamber, from the scalp to the end of the strand. The design of this winder requires the grasped strand to be wound around both sides of the disk, which generates tension on the hair throughout winding, and thus risks hair damage. In addition, the strand may easily become stuck in the winding chamber of the housing, because of this winding on both sides of the disk. In addition, this design is very bulky.
In the patent application WO2012080751A2, the hair curling appliance is in the form of a clamp formed of two arms. The housing is arranged at the end of one of the two arms and has an insertion slot that extends longitudinally on the housing in the direction of a
winding chamber with which said slot communicates. The housing has external guide elements that are arranged outside the slot in the shape of a V and make it possible to guide the strand of hair in order to insert it through the slot in the winding chamber. Comparable to the hair styling appliance described previously in the document WO2009077747A2, the winder is in the form of a disk shaped like a hook that passes through the slot in order to be positioned between the guide elements. The second arm has in its extremity a second housing with a receiving area for the guide elements and a bearing surface, to permit the bearing surface to push the hair strand toward the slot while being guided by the guide elements, thus permitting the winder to grasp the strand in order for it to be wound around the mandrel. This design is also very bulky. In addition, its design is complex, which complicates its production and increases its manufacturing cost. According to this design, the housing has at one of its ends an extraction opening to which the winding chamber leads, the free end of the mandrel being arranged close to this extraction opening. A retractable finger is arranged at the contour of the extraction opening. In extended position, this retractable finger permits preventing the rotation of the strand during its winding around the mandrel. In retracted position, the mandrel is disengaged, which permits releasing the curled strand without risk of undoing or loosening it. Such a retractable finger necessitates the implementation of a complex and costly mechanism.
In the patent application WO2013186547A1, as for the patent application WO2012080751A2, the housing defines a winding chamber in which extends a mandrel with one end fixed to the housing and a free end adjacent to an extraction opening to which the winding chamber leads. The winder is also in the form of a disk with a notch forming a hook that permits grasping the strand to wind it around the mandrel. In a first implementation, the housing has a large insertion opening to permit positioning the strand in the winding chamber. In a
second variant, the housing has an insertion slot that extends longitudinally and communicates with the winding chamber, above the mandrel, V-shaped guide elements being arranged outside the slot in order to facilitate positioning the strand facing the slot. According to these different variants, the hair curling appliance comprises an insertion device configured to push the strand inside the insertion opening or the insertion slot and position it in the notch on the disk. This design is complex and implements a large number of parts, making its production difficult and increasing its manufacturing cost. In addition, this design also makes it more bulky.
The main objective of this invention is to implement a hair styling appliance that permits locking the strand during its winding around the mandrel and that facilitates the release of the curled strand, presenting a simple design, easy to implement and inexpensive, in particular in comparison to the retractable finger used on the hair styling appliance described in the document WO2012080751A2.
Another objective is to prevent the strand from becoming stuck or entangled inside the winding housing, and to make regular curls without damaging the hair.
Another objective is to be able to easily grasp the strand in order to wind it, while remedying the aforementioned drawbacks of prior hair curling appliances.
Another objective is to propose a hair curling appliance that permits effective treatment of the hair, while being easy and practical to use.
Another objective of this invention is to curl the strand of hair substantially on its entire length without reducing the effectiveness of the hair styling appliance and without risk of burning the scalp.
For these purposes, the invention concerns a hair styling appliance for curling a strand of hair, comprising a housing which comprises a winding chamber having a shape of revolution along a second axis X2. The housing also has an insertion slot which extends along the length of the housing in the direction of the second axis X2 and which leads to the winding chamber. The housing also has an extraction opening, arranged at a lateral end of the housing, to which the winding chamber leads. One could envision replacing the insertion slot with an insertion opening, with larger dimensions and a shape different from that of a slot, without departing from the context of the invention. However, in a preferred embodiment which is described below, the insertion slot is favored.
According to the invention, the hair styling appliance also comprises a mandrel with one end fixed to the housing and a free end arranged close to the extraction opening, and which extends in the winding chamber along a third axis X3 defined in a plane P passing through the second axis X2 and through the slot.
According to the invention, the hair styling appliance also comprises a winder arranged in the winding chamber and rotatably mounted in at least one direction along the third axis X3. This winder is configured to wind the strand around the mandrel during its rotation, in order to make the curl.
Remarkably, according to the invention, the hair styling appliance comprises a stationary finger arranged at the contour of the extraction opening, or in direct proximity to this contour, in front of the free end of the mandrel. The shape of the stationary finger is configured with respect to the free end of the mandrel to prevent the rotation of the strand around the mandrel without risk of bypassing the finger during the rotation of the winder, and to help release the curled strand along the mandrel at the end of the curling operation. The presence of such a stationary finger advantageously permits simplifying the design of the hair styling appliance, unlike the existing systems from the prior art,
which are much more complex, such as, for example, the appliance described in the patent application WO2012080751A2.
In an embodiment of the invention, the stationary finger is perpendicular to the third axis X3 and parallel to the plane P. In addition, the stationary finger has at least one lateral locking face configured so that the straight line dl, which passes through the base of the lateral locking face and perpendicularly cuts the third axis X3, forms with said lateral locking face an angle β of between 0 and 35 degrees, preferably 25 degrees. This advantageously permits sliding the hair strand toward the base of the stationary finger rather than toward its end, which prevents bypassing the finger during winding of the strand. Preferably, the winder turns in both directions of rotation around the mandrel. In addition, the stationary finger has two lateral locking faces arranged symmetrically with respect to the plane P.
In an embodiment of the invention, the stationary finger is perpendicular to the third axis X3 and parallel to the plane P. In addition, the finger is configured to extend from the peripheral contour of the free end of the mandrel in the direction of the third axis X3, at a height h1 between 6 mm and 18 mm, preferably 12 mm. This also helps prevent the strand from bypassing the stationary finger during its winding, without harming the release of the curled strand.
In an embodiment of the invention, the stationary finger is perpendicular to the third axis X3 and parallel to the plane P. In addition, the finger is spaced apart from the free end of the mandrel by a distance e1 of between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably 3 mm. This also permits a good compromise between locking the strand during its winding around the mandrel, without risk of bypassing the stationary finger, and releasing the curled strand appropriately without risk of loosening it.
Preferably, the mandrel has a diameter D of between 20 mm and 25 mm, preferably 22 mm, for a stationary finger presenting the aforementioned characteristics.
Preferably, the stationary finger has an inner face arranged facing the free end of the mandrel. This inner face has a curved shape configured to support the release of the strand of curled hair through the extraction opening. The inner face has an end adjacent to the contour of the extraction opening, which extends in the form of a projection that is more or less pronounced, to prevent the curled strand from passing below the stationary finger during the release and remaining locked.
Preferably, according to this embodiment of the hair styling appliance, removable fixing means are arranged between the stationary finger and the contour of the extraction opening. This advantageously permits replacing the finger with another presenting slight shape modifications, for example, in order to better adapt the hair styling appliance to the type of hair to be curled.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the winder is hollow and has a surface of revolution along the third axis X3. The winder is arranged with a first spacing around the mandrel in the winding chamber, coaxial with the mandrel along the third axis X3. The winder is rotatably mounted in at least one direction along the third axis X3, preferably according to both directions of rotation. The winder has on its surface of revolution catching means which are configured to catch the strand in the winder's initial position, and then to rotate the strand during the rotation of the winder. In addition, the winder is configured to successively grasp or catch the proximal end of the strand, concomitantly wind the strand around the mandrel and the winder, and then completely wind the strand around the mandrel, during its rotation. This design of the hair styling appliance according to the invention advantageously permits dividing the winding chamber into two concentric chambers: one inner chamber defined by the first spacing between the mandrel and the winder, and one outer chamber defined by the spacing outside the winder, inside the winding chamber. This permits winding the hair strand around the mandrel and the winder at the same time. The winder, which surrounds the mandrel along its length, has a larger winding diameter than the mandrel, to
permit winding hair around the winder with less tension. There is thus little risk of hair damage. In addition, the longitudinal shape of the mandrel and of the winder permits winding the hair strand on relatively large surface areas, to prevent the hair from becoming stuck.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the curling appliance comprises a grip handle which extends longitudinally along a first axis X1 and which is attached to the housing. The grip handle may be in various aesthetic and ergonomic forms in order to permit a suitable grip. This slot is positioned on the housing on the side opposite the position of the grip handle. The plane (P) is defined by the first axis X1 and the second axis X2. In addition, the third axis X3 is inclined with respect to the first axis X1 according to an angle α such that the free end of the mandrel is farther from the grip handle than the fixed end of the mandrel. This design of the hair styling appliance according to the invention advantageously permits inserting the strand in the insertion slot, while positioning it at an angle to the mandrel and the winder, and then inserting the strand in the catching means on the winder's surface of revolution, without the need to tilt the strand with respect to the slot. This considerably facilitates the manipulation of the appliance, with the user inserting the strand in the slot while holding the grip handle naturally, without any complication related to its positioning, and then holding the extraction opening against the scalp such that the end of the hair strand, situated in proximity to the roots, is positioned in the catching means.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the angle α is between 50 and 80 degrees, preferably 70 degrees.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the second axis X2 is perpendicular to the first axis X1. According to this configuration, the housing is perpendicular to the grip handle, the mandrel and the winder being inclined in the
winding chamber. In an embodiment variant of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the second axis X2 and the third axis X3 are parallel to each other, preferably coincident. This configuration permits keeping the mandrel and the winder in the axis of the housing's winding chamber, and inclining the housing with respect to the handle, while preserving the advantage of facilitating the positioning of the hair strand in the slot and in the winder's catching means. In addition, one could envision numerous variants without departing from the context of the invention. In this regard, in embodiment variants of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the second axis X2 is inclined with respect to the first axis X1, on the same side as the third axis X3, by an angle φ between the angle of inclination α of the third axis X3 and 90 degrees (α<φ<90°)
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the winder has a free edge arranged on the free end side of the mandrel. In addition, the winder has a notch, constituting the catching means, which extends on the surface of revolution and leads to the free edge, the notch being configured to allow the strand to penetrate in the first spacing between the mandrel and the winder, in the initial position of the winder. According to this embodiment, gripping means are formed on at least one of the two ends of the notch, intersecting with the free edge, preferably on both ends. These gripping means are preferably in the form of hooks. A single hook can be envisioned when the winder rotates in only one direction, Preferably, the winder rotates in both directions along the third axis X3, and two hooks are arranged facing each other at the two aforementioned ends of the notch. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the notch has the shape of a trapezoid with its small base adjacent to the free edge. However, one could envision variants in the shape of the notch, for example a circular or oval shape.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the winder has a cylindrical shape along the third axis X3. In a preferred embodiment variant, the winder has a conical shape along the
third axis X3, the conical shape presenting an expansion in the direction of the free end of the mandrel.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the insertion slot has two walls which extend longitudinally in the direction of the second axis X2 and which form between them a V configured to help the strand penetrate the winding chamber. Thus, unlike the prior art, which provides for additional elements forming a V arranged outside the slot, the invention provides for directly integrating the V shape in the thickness of the housing, which considerably reduces the overall dimensions of the hair styling appliance.
Preferably, according to this embodiment, the slot has a longitudinal end portion, opposite the position of the extraction opening, in which the two walls are connected to each other and form an entire V in a single piece, with the bottom of the V being rounded and configured to guide the strand and let it slip during its winding around the mandrel and the winder. This longitudinal portion is arranged upstream from the mandrel and the winder, on the housing. This design also helps to reduce any tension on the strand during its winding around the mandrel and the winder. According to a variant, the slot has a longitudinal end portion, opposite the position of the extraction opening, in which the two walls are connected to each other and form a curved bottom, more or less in the shape of a spoon, configured to guide the strand and let it slip during its winding around the mandrel and the winder. This longitudinal portion is arranged upstream from the mandrel and the winder, on the housing.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the insertion slot has two walls which extend longitudinally in the direction of the second axis X2 and which each have ribs arranged transversally with respect to a second axis X2. These ribs are distributed along each wall and are configured to help the strand penetrate the winding chamber. These ribs have the advantage of implementing linear contacts between the slot and the hair strand
during the insertion of the latter, in order to reduce friction and limit the risk that the strand will become stuck in the slot. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the ribs are each in the form of a portion of a disk, which permits gradually reducing the passage cross section of the slot, like a V arranged between the two walls, and thus permits guiding the strand during its insertion in the slot. One could envision shape variants for these ribs, while also helping to reduce the passage cross section of the slot, such as a triangular shape, for example. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the ribs on each wall are of variable dimensions, with a variable distribution on each wall.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the insertion slot has two walls which extend longitudinally in the direction of the second axis X2 and which each present waves spread along the walls. These waves are configured to help the strand penetrate the winding chamber. These waves have the advantage of reducing contacts between the slot and the hair strand during the insertion of the latter, which reduces friction and limits the risk that the strand will become stuck in the slot.
In another embodiment, the slot combines the characteristics of at least two of the three aforementioned embodiments, namely in particular the presence of two walls forming a V and/or the presence of waves on the two walls and/or the presence of ribs on these two walls. These various characteristics each constitute guide means arranged in the slot and configured to help the strand penetrate the winding chamber. Of course, other variants of guide means could be envisioned without departing from the context of the invention.
According to the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the latter comprises heating means configured to heat the strand of hair inside the winding chamber. Preferably, the heating means
are arranged in the mandrel. However, one could envision heating means arranged in the winding chamber in order to heat the strand during its concomitant winding around the mandrel and the winder.
In an embodiment of the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the housing additionally has an inner cage arranged in the winding chamber around the winder, with a second spacing with respect to the winder. The inner cage is configured to prolong the guiding of the hair strand inside the winding chamber in the direction of the winder, after it passes through the slot. This also permits confining the strand inside the housing around the winder, without risk of dispersion in the winding chamber.
According to the hair styling appliance according to the invention, the latter comprises means for gripping the housing, consisting of a handle which extends in the plane P in the direction opposite the position of the slot. This permits a more ergonomic hair styling appliance, which can be easily manipulated during insertion of the strand of hair in the slot. However, one could envision other configurations of gripping means without departing from the context of the invention.
The following description illuminates the object of the invention, with the support of figures, in which:
In the rest of the description, the same references are used to describe similar characteristics according to the various embodiments.
In the rest of the description, the term “appliance” will be used to designate the hair curling appliance according to the invention, unless otherwise indicated.
In
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
winding chamber 8 defined inside the housing 2, in which the curling of the strand takes place. The housing 2 also has on its front lateral face 2b an extraction opening 9 through which the strand is released or removed after it is curled. The winding chamber 8 has a more or less cylindrical shape of revolution which is defined along a second axis X2 corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the housing 2. The first axis X1 and the second axis X2 are perpendicular to each other and define a plane P, illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
a gearwheel (not illustrated) which meshes with a worm screw (not illustrated) rotated by a motor (not illustrated), which permits rotating the winder 11 along the third axis X3. Preferably, the direction of rotation of the motor is reversible, which permits reversing the direction of rotation of the winder 11. The motor, the gearwheel and the worm screw are not illustrated in order to make the figures easier to read, the latter furthermore being within the grasp of those skilled in the art. Other gear means may be envisioned between the motor and the winder 11, also within the grasp of those skilled in the art.
As illustrated in particular with regard to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
length of the housing 2 and form, in a section plane P1 perpendicular to the plane P, a V which helps with insertion of the strand in the slot 7. In their parts 23a, 23b situated on the side of the lateral face 2a of the housing 2 opposite the lateral face 2b of the housing 2 which has the extraction opening 9 and which comes into contact with the scalp during curling, the walls 22a, 22b are connected and form together an entire V in a single piece with a bottom 24 which is rounded and permits guiding the hair strand by letting it slip along the length of the housing 2, that is, in the direction of the second axis X2. These parts 23a, 23b are situated upstream from the mandrel 10 and the winder 11, according to the direction of travel of the strand while it is being wound. Preferably, these two walls 22a, 22b consist of a single piece independent from the housing 2, which permits making the slot 7 in a different color from that of the housing 2, so that it can be seen more easily during insertion of the hair strand. In addition, removable fixing means are arranged between the housing 2 and the walls 22a, 22b to permit them to be removed, for example in order to replace them with others with a different V angle or other characteristics of guiding the strand in the slot 7. These removable fixing means (not illustrated) may consist of screwing or snap-fitting the walls 22a, 22b on the housing 2, for example.
As illustrated in
slot 7, which also favors the positioning of the strand in the slot 7. This disk shape of the cross ribs 25, 26 could be replaced with a triangular shape, which would also permit forming a V between the cross ribs 25, 26 arranged facing each other on the walls 22a, 22b.
As illustrated in
Also to better ensure that the hair strand does not tend to bypass the stationary finger and turn around the mandrel 10 during winding, the stationary finger 27 must sufficiently cover the free end 10b of the mandrel 10, and its distance from the mandrel 10 must be
as small as possible. In order to permit this sufficient coverage, the stationary finger 27 extends from the cylindrical contour of the mandrel 10 on a height h1 of between 6 mm and 18 mm, preferably a height h1 equal to 12 mm. A higher height h1 would risk penalizing the release, and a lower height h1 would risk not sufficiently locking the hair. Concerning the distance to the mandrel 10, the stationary finger 27 is spaced from the free end 10b of the mandrel 10 by a distance e1 of between 1 mm and 5 mm, this distance e1 preferably being equal to 3 mm. This distance e1 depends on the height h1 used for the stationary finger 27. Preferably a ratio r of four between the height h1 and the distance e1 is provided for (r=h1/e1=4), this ratio r being between two and five (2<r<5).
For this aforementioned configuration of the stationary finger 27 with respect to the mandrel 10, the mandrel 10 has a diameter D of between 20 mm and 25 mm, preferably 22 mm.
The stationary finger 27 has an inner face 31 arranged facing the free end 10b of the mandrel 10. The inner face 31 is curved or concave, as illustrated in particular in
Preferably, the stationary finger 27 is removably fixed with respect to the contour 9a of the extraction opening 9 or in proximity to the latter. To achieve this, the stationary finger 27 has a lower part 33 equipped with an orifice 34
permitting screw fastening 35 with respect to the front lateral face 2b of the housing 2, as illustrated by
As illustrated in
The housing 2 of the appliance 1 is manipulated by the grip handle 3, its lateral face 2a, which has the extraction opening 9, being positioned against the scalp during the various curling operations. The arrangement of the grip handle 3 in line with the slot 7, facilitates manipulation of the appliance 1. However, one could anticipate variants in the arrangement of the grip handle with respect to the housing 2, without departing from the context of the invention. At the beginning of the curling operation, after the user sets the heating element 36 to a set-point temperature, the strand is positioned inside the slot 7 and then guided by the flanges 20a, 20b to the second spacing 19. Because the winder 11 and the mandrel 10 are inclined with respect to the grip handle 3, the insertion of the strand in the notch 14 is done naturally, without need to incline the strand with respect to the housing 2 and the slot 7 in order to insert it appropriately into the notch 14. The rotation of the winder 11 is then triggered by one of the control buttons 5 or 6, which permits one of the hooks 16a, 16b—depending on the direction of rotation—to grasp or catch the strand in proximity to the scalp. The configuration of the winder 11 with its surface of revolution arranged around the mandrel and its notch 14,
advantageously permits concomitantly winding the hair strand around the mandrel 10 in the inner chamber defined by the first spacing 12, and around the surface of revolution of the winder 11 in the outer chamber defined by the second spacing 19. During this concomitant winding on the winder 11 and the mandrel 10, the strand slips to the bottom 24 of the walls 22a, 22b of the slot 7. Once the end of the strand has slipped to the bottom 24 and is wound around the winder 11, the winder continues to turn, which permits continuing to wind the strand around the mandrel 10 until the entire strand is wound around the mandrel 10. The winder 11 then stops turning, the heating element 36 then remaining activated while keeping the strand wound around the mandrel 10 for a few seconds. Then the appliance 1 is moved away from the scalp, the curled strand is then displaced along the mandrel 10 toward the stationary finger 27 which, when the appliance is moved away from the head, will accompany the curl toward the extraction opening 9 in order to appropriately release the curled strand.
Embodiment variants of the guide means may be envisioned in the context of the invention. In particular, one could anticipate embodiment variants of the slot 7 with only the walls 22a, 22b in a V shape, without any cross rib 25, 26, or conversely, one could anticipate cross ribs 25, 26 on walls parallel to each other, where the shape of the cross ribs, in the form of a triangle or a portion of a disk, defines by itself a flared shape or a V shape. One could also anticipate waves 37, 38 arranged on the length of the two walls 22a, 22b between the cross ribs 25, 26, as illustrated in
On the embodiment variant of the appliance 1, illustrated in
piece with a common bottom 24, as described for the preceding variant, with a slight difference since the bottom 24 is not rounded but flat, as observed in
In another embodiment variant of the appliance 1, illustrated in
According to the two aforementioned embodiment variants of the appliance 1, the design variants of the winder 11 and of the stationary finger 27, as described previously, also apply.
One could also anticipate variants of the stationary finger 27.
Other embodiment variants of the appliance 1 may also be considered without departing from the context of the invention. In the mode of embodiment of
other variants, anticipate an angle of inclination α between the first axis X1 and the third axis X3 which is equal to 90°, that is, the two axes X1 and X3 are perpendicular to each other, without departing from the essential context of the invention, with a winder 11 having a cylindrical or conical surface of revolution.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1557632 | Aug 2015 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2016/051798 | 7/12/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017/025669 | 2/16/2017 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| D783897 | Kong | Apr 2017 | S |
| 20050268933 | Kimata | Dec 2005 | A1 |
| 20120325262 | Sansole | Dec 2012 | A1 |
| 20130068245 | De Benedictis | Mar 2013 | A1 |
| 20150114425 | Park | Apr 2015 | A1 |
| 20150128987 | De Benedictis | May 2015 | A1 |
| 20160255935 | Li | Sep 2016 | A1 |
| 20170127785 | Chan | May 2017 | A1 |
| 20170172273 | Kock | Jun 2017 | A1 |
| 20170202332 | Keong | Jul 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2816289 | Oct 1979 | DE |
| 2 373 986 | Jul 1978 | FR |
| S61-10102 | Jan 1986 | JP |
| WO 2009077747 | Jun 2009 | WO |
| WO 2012080751 | Jun 2012 | WO |
| WO 2013186547 | Dec 2013 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report as issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/FR2016/051798, dated Sep. 8, 2016. |
| International Preliminary Report on Patentability and the Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority as issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/FR2016/051798, dated Feb. 13, 2018. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180255898 A1 | Sep 2018 | US |
