1. Field of the Invention
This invention falls in the technical field of hand-held devices used for styling or shaping hair. In the preferred, but not exclusive, application the invention falls in the field of hand-held electrical devices used for drying and/or shaping hair using, in particular, a hot air flow or contact heat in the same way as, including but not limited to, hand-held electrical hard dryers, heated brushes and straightening and curling irons.
2. Description of the Related Art
When hair is styled, as each lock is treated, it may be desirable to apply a cosmetic product to the hair. To do so, a patent FR 2 136 410 described a comb which blows air, the sleeve of which contains an electrical fan to blow air in the direction of a hair treatment area determined by the comb. The sleeve of the comb also includes a pressurized cosmetic fluid reservoir connected by a feed line to a sprayer located in the hair treatment area. In this patent, the sleeve also includes a piston pump activated by a push button to allow the user to spray liquid at the treatment area through a nozzle by pressing on a button with a finger. Such a system actually allows a product to be easily applied to the hair, limiting the risks of wasting cosmetic product. However, this system does not allow precise quantities of the product to be applied and requires the user to press the push button to distribute the product, which is not always easy given the location of the hair to be treated. Further, cosmetic product application is neither consistent nor even. In addition, to treating hair, the user must press the push button many times, which requires relatively significant effort causing some discomfort.
To automatically apply a cosmetic product to hair, a patent EP 1 071 352 described a hair dryer with an ancillary with teeth to shape hair; these teeth include a cosmetic product distribution mechanism which is activated by heat or humidity. In this patent, the teeth form a cavity within which a specific quantity of cosmetic product is stored. Such a hair dryer does indeed allow the automatic application of a small quantity of a cosmetic product without the user having to worry about the quantity of product applied, but suffers from the disadvantage of not being able to ensure the uniform application of the cosmetic product to the hair, as application depends on heat and/or humidity, which could vary significantly depending on the location of the hair treated.
Therefore, there seems to be a need for a hand-held hair styling device which can automatically distribute a cosmetic product without a requirement for the distribution to be triggered by specific user action and without the application being subject to heat or humidity requirements at the area to be treated.
To achieve this goal, the invention covers a hand-held hair styling device consisting of:
In a special mode, the invention covers a hand-held hair styling device with a hair shaping or styling mechanism consisting of at least one hair treatment area, a cosmetic product distribution mechanism including a product application mechanism located in or near the hair treatment area, and an application mechanism feed line from a cosmetic product reservoir, including at least one pump, where the shaping mechanism is at least partly mobile, which includes at least one rotating mobile curler, and where each pump is activated by moving rotating mobile curler (M).
The pump, which is designed to be activated automatically by movement of the shaping mechanism, is used to control the quantity of product distributed, the size of the area where hair is treated and, e.g., the length of each lock of hair treated so that the quantity is precisely determined. Further, based on the invention, since cosmetic product supply is based on the mechanical action on the pump, product quantity distributed is not dependent on the heat and humidity of the hair or the hand-held device. Based on the invention, in addition, the device allows a larger quantity of cosmetic product to be distributed or applied than can be applied using a system covered by patent EP 1 071352.
In this invention, “cosmetic product” means a product with one or more active capillary characteristics, in particular, a product as defined in European Directive EC 93/35 of Jun. 14, 1993. In this regard, water in liquid or gaseous form which does not contain any capillary additive does not constitute a cosmetic product for the purposes of the invention.
Based on the invention, the pump may be implemented in any appropriate manner, e.g., as a piston pump in which the alternating piston movement is determined by the movement of the hair shaping mechanism.
In the preferred form, inter alia, in a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention, each pump includes:
Such an implementation allows the pump to be manufactured at least cost. This low manufacturing cost means, in particular, that the flexible body may be changed regularly and treated as a consumable, thereby increasing the hygiene of a device based on the invention.
In the preferred implementation form, the flexible body may be deformed, but will return to its original shape.
Accordingly, squeezing the pressure organ pushes the product out of the pumping chamber while the elasticity of the body is used to suck the product into the pumping chamber when the pressure organ is not pushing on the flexible body. This reversible deformation of the pump body allows the flexible body and movement mechanism to be manufactured at least cost.
In one aspect of this variation, the distribution mechanism between the pump and application mechanism, includes at least one anti-return valve designed to allow movement of the cosmetic product from the pump to application mechanism. Based on the invention, this anti-return valve may be placed between the pump exit and the application mechanism. It may also be integrated into the application mechanism which may, for example, include one or more nozzles, each in the form of two flexible elastic lips which open when the product is squeezed out and which collapse against one another. The application mechanism may be a tube made of silicone or a similar material the nozzles of which consist of watertight slits distributed uniformly around an axis to distribute the cosmetic as evenly as possible. The watertight anti-return distribution valve may also be integrated into the pump exit, in particular, in the body thereof.
In one variation of the preferred implementation form of the invention, the distribution mechanism between the cosmetic product reservoir and the pump includes at least one anti-return valve designed to allow movement of the cosmetic product from the reservoir to the pump. This anti-return aspiration valve may be located in the path between the pump and the reservoir. The anti-return valve may also be integrated into the reservoir or the entrance to the pump, in particular, in the body thereof.
Based on the invention, the flexible body of each pump may consist of a reservoir with sufficient product quantity to allow multiple product doses to be distributed and which, in particular, holds sufficient product to ensure a complete treatment sequence. In this case, the flexible body may be disposable and could be replaced after each use of this ancillary unit. The flexible pump body may form a single assembly with the feed line and distribution nozzle, all of which could also be replaced each time the reservoir is emptied.
However, such an implementation mode is not a requirement of the invention. Therefore, in accordance with one characteristic of the invention, the distribution mechanism includes a cosmetic product reservoir located upstream of each pump. This separate pump reservoir increases the independence of the device based on the invention.
Accordingly, based on the invention, the reservoir may be removable or fixed.
The reservoir may be a flexible, non-elastic sack, preferably without a vent. The sack has no elastic resistance and allows atmospheric pressure to be transferred to the cosmetic content. Such a reservoir is inexpensive.
If the device based on the invention includes a reservoir, the distribution mechanism may include at least one opening to refill the reservoir. Such an opening may be used to refill the reservoir when, in particular, it is not removable.
Based on the invention, the hand-held hair styling device may be implemented in various ways; preferable, a device based on the invention would be a hand-held electrical hair styling device. Accordingly, a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention may include an electrical mechanism to heat the treatment area. A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention may also include an electrical mechanism to blow air on the treatment area.
A hair styling device based on the invention may, for example, be designed to allow shaping or straightening by heating hair by contact and form, inter alia, a curling iron or straightener. Accordingly, in one implementation variation, the hand-held hair styling device includes two jaws which are connected using a hinge so that they can shift between open and closed positions. They include working surfaces which form the hair shaping mechanism and form the hair treatment area when the jaws are closed. Each pump is then activated by movements of the jaws or the working surfaces against one another.
In such a straightener or curling iron configuration: a longitudinal pressure organ is located on the jaw facing the jaw containing the fluid distribution mechanism. This longitudinal pressure organ is oriented with respect to the cosmetic distribution mechanism to come into contact with this mechanism when the device is closed. The organ may be a rigid, parallelepiped rod attached to the distribution mechanism. The organ may also include a thin layer of foam on its external surface. This layer allows uniform distribution of the cosmetic on the two application surfaces designed to press against the hair when the fluid is distributed.
The pump may be deactivated by the user: to this end, in the straightener version, the pressure organ attached to the jaw facing the jaw containing the sack may be moved and lifted through the jaw housing by a user who would like use the device without the cosmetic application.
In this variation, the hair styling device may include an electrical heating mechanism attached to at least one of the working surfaces. Also in this variation, the hand-held hair styling device may include a mechanism to activate each pump which is designed to do so after a predetermined number of consecutive times the jaws are opened and closed. The implementation of such an activation mechanism means that, to allow optimum cosmetic product dosage, the pump will not be activated with each closing/opening cycle. Such an implementation is particularly suited to an application mechanism made of felt or a porous material through which the cosmetic product is distributed.
Finally, in this variation, the working surfaces may be flat or curved, as long as the shapes basically complement one another.
In another variation of the invention, the hair shaping or styling mechanism includes at least one rotating mobile curler. The curler will preferably be mobile, rotating on its longitudinal axis. Accordingly, the hair shaping or styling mechanism may include a smooth roller, a fluted or textured roller, or a roller with bristles which form a rotating brush. The brush may then be attached to a electrical fan system to form a blowing brush. The rotation of the roller on the shaping mechanism may be used with or to activate the pump.
Of course, the various characteristics, variants and implementation forms of the invention may be used with one other in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.
In addition, various other characteristics of the invention are shown in the attached description, which refers to diagrams which show some, but not all, of the implementation forms of a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention.
The references in the attached figures refer to items common to various implementation forms and/or variants.
A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention could be implemented in various ways depending on its purpose and the type of hair treatment to be used.
Accordingly, a hair styling device based on the invention may be a straightener, as shown in
Hair styling device A includes hair shaping mechanism M which, in the example shown, includes for each jaw 1 and 2, one working surface, respectively S1 and S2, near one end of the corresponding jaw opposite connection 4. Working surfaces S1 and S2 face each other and extend only party along the length of jaws 1 and 2 to create, when closed, hair treatment zone Z. Along with jaws 1 and 2 which hold them, working surfaces S1 and S2 create mobile shaping mechanism M, as used in the invention.
Based on the example shown, the shoulders of the two jaws 1 and 2 also help create P1 and P2, located between working surfaces S1 and S2 and joint 4 which hinge or pivot gripping mechanism P of hair styling device A. Accordingly, since jaws 1 and 2 are hinged, working surface S2 is mobile with respect to section P1 of the gripping mechanism formed by jaw 1, while working surface S1 is mobile with respect to section P2 of the gripping mechanism formed by jaw 2, so that shaping mechanism M is partly mobile with respect to part of gripping mechanism P.
In the example shown, each working surface S1 and S2 is generally rectangular and implemented using a conductive thermal material with a surface state designed to be placed into contact with hair without risking damage to it. Accordingly, each working surface S1 and S2 could, for example, be polished smooth or coated with enamel, ceramic, polymer or enamel (e.g., with a low coefficient of friction) or even a layer of glass.
In the example, working surfaces S1 and S2 are formed by two straightening plates, 5 and 6, respectively. Straightening plates 5 and 6 are each attached to electrical heating mechanism 7 in contact with the rear surface of the corresponding plate, located opposite working surface S1 and S2 as shown in
Based on an essential characteristic of the invention, hair styling device A also includes of distribution mechanism 20 for cosmetic fluid products (in liquid or paste form) so that they may be automatically applied to the hair when device A is used. Distribution mechanism 20 includes application mechanism 21 which, as shown in
Application mechanism 21 is connected to product reservoir 22 by feed line 23, as shown more precisely in
Based on an essential characteristic of the invention, pump 24 is activating by moving shaping mechanism M and, in this case by the alternating movement of working surfaces S1 and S2, in particular, jaws 1 and 2, as hair styling device A is opened and closed. Accordingly, the product is fed to application mechanism 21 automatically using the movements of jaws 1 and 2. In the example in
Accordingly, the product in reservoir 22 is automatically fed to application mechanism 21 without the user having to worry about this distribution or the quantity distributed.
In the example shown in
In the example shown previously in
Multiple alternative pumps may be used. One mode is the flat valve pump shown in
The implementation variation shown in
In the example shown in
In the implementation forms described above, pump 24 is activated each time hair styling device A is closed. However, such a frequency for pump 24 to work is not necessary to implement distribution mechanism 20 based on the invention. Depending on the type of application mechanism 21 used, it may be desirable to only trigger the pump after a predetermined number of times jaws 1 and 2 are opened and closed. To do so, the invention provides for an implementation variation, using activation mechanism 60, which is designed to activate each hair styling device pump after a predetermined number of consecutive opening and closing movements. Depending on the mechanism and in the example shown in
Based on the invention, the pump of application mechanism 21 need not be an alternative action pump as described above. The pump of application mechanism 21 may be peristaltic pump 24 (pump 2) as shown in
In the previous example, working surfaces S1 and S2 are basically flat. However, working surfaces S1 and S2 may take other forms which complement one another. The working surfaces may, for example, each be curved. Accordingly, a hair styling device based on the invention could be a curling iron as shown in
In this implementation, the portion of jaw 1 located next to the electrical cable creates gripping mechanism P. Working surface S1, located opposite gripping mechanism P, is basically a rotating cylinder and is connected to a heating mechanism (not shown). Working surface S1 also mounts cosmetic product distribution or application nozzles 49. Jaws 1 and 2 are hinged on one end between gripping mechanism P and working surface S1. Working surface S2 is shaped like a tile and is designed match the shape of working surface S1. In this example, working surface S2 is not attached to a heating mechanism. Opposite working surface S2 relative to hinge or pivot 4, jaw 2 includes activation arm or organ 70 which allows hair styling device A to be opened. When jaw 2 is opened, activation arm 70 then pushes on shaft 30 of pump 24 (not shown in
A hand-held hair styling device based on the invention need not necessarily be a straightener or curling iron as described above, but may also be a rotating brush as shown in
Of course, various other modifications may be made to a hand-held hair styling device based on the invention under the attached claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1153661 | Apr 2011 | FR | national |